Metaphysician in the Dark
Stevens' metaphysician in the dark is pretty darn complicated. But, at its heart, the image suggests that a modern poem is like a metaphysician—a type of spiritual philosopher who asks basic ques...
Stage, Script, Audience, Actor
The motif of poetry as a theatre is the most consistent one Stevens uses in this poem. As early as line 3, he writes that old poetry didn't need to search for meaning the way modern poetry does, si...
Twanging Guitar
After Stevens calls the modern poet (or poem) a "metaphysician in the dark," it starts to sound like he's getting too grandiose about his role as a poet. So to take some of the starch out of his sh...
Skating Man, Dancing Woman
Any fans of male figure skating or Dancing With the Stars out there? Anyone? Well luckily for you, these are only examples of what Stevens thinks we might be able to find satisfaction in. What's cr...