Elementary

In many ways it feels as though we have exhausted the subject of Music as it relates to the poetry of Wallace Stevens, and yet for me, I feel as though I am unable to loosen the grasp that this concept has on me. I am hoping to write my final paper comparing the Poetry of Wallace Stevens and his musicality and lyricality with the Music of Igor Stravinsky (and possibly Eric Whitacre, though Stravinsky seems to be a better fit). I was looking through the Swerve searching for information that would lend itself to my research topic, and stumbled once again upon "The Way Things Are" in which we learn much about Lucretius philosophy on particles and the way in which they make up the world. In many ways this list reminds me of the Adagia, in which we learn how one must think of poetry. To me, this particular list makes me think not only of how we should think of poetry, but also music.

"The elementary particles are infinite in number but limited in shape and size" (187). If we think of the particles as being notes then this piece absolutely makes sense. There are many many many notes, more than are played on the piano, and the combinations of these notes is also infinite. The only thing that limits them is the duration of the notes, and their shape upon the score. Igor Stravinsky understood this concept in all of its complexity, and is demonstrated in his use piece "Rite of Spring" (or really any of his for that matter). In this particular piece, Stravinsky broke away from convention, opening up his imagination, and that of his audience to the infinite number of combinations that are found within a musical piece.

Wallace Stevens can very easily be added to this notation, especially when we look at many of his poems. As Dr. Sexson spoke last week, there are things that are not poetry. What Wallace Stevens has created is poetry because it makes one think, as does the Music of Igor Stravinsky. If we are not forced to step outside our "box" then why are we partaking in the music and poetry? In order to appreciate what we are given, we must work for it, even if it is within our mind.