Thirteen Ways, Thirteen Stanzas

Wallace Stevens’ “Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird” is an extremely smart and interesting poem. In this piece, Stevens (of course) uses thirteen different ways a blackbird can be observed. A very effective poetic element he chose to use is numbered stanzas.

There are thirteen stanzas, numbered from one to thirteen. Each of these numbered stanzas represent a way a blackbird can be seen. With this technique, Wallace Stevens creates thirteen miniature poems. Every single stanza could be a poem of its own. However, with all thirteen ‘mini-poems’ combined, an immense effect is achieved.

In this poem, there are stanzas that are in higher spirits: “The blackbird whirled in the autumn winds./ It was a small part of the pantomime.” This gives me an image of a blackbird flying peacefully with the winds. On the other hand, there are stanzas that are more negative:

“Icicles filled the long window
With barbaric glass.
The shadow of the blackbird
Crossed it to and fro.
The mood
Traced in the shadow
An indecipherable cause.”

The use of the word shadow in this stanza gives it a gloomy feel. Stevens is trying to compare “Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird” to the real word. I believe this poem is to show us how there is always so many different aspects to look at something. Every person’s view of something is dissimilar to another person’s. For example, a certain event can be devastating or it can be hopeful. It really depends on an individual’s perspective. Negative or positive, good or bad, it all comes down to how an individual looks at it.

We should not complain if we think our life is horrible; it is really our own choice. If everyone is optimistic and only looks at the good side of things, our world would be a happy place.

I may be totally off with my interpretation, but I think that even if there is no true meaning of this poem, it is still very enjoyable to read. Stevens seems like a very open-minded poet. He is able to create so many different and unique ways to describe only one topic, or even one item.