The Thirteenth Way

One of my favorite poems is Wallace Stevens’ “Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird.” Of the thirteen ways–and of course there are even more ways than that–but of the thirteen that Stevens chose to highlight, my very favorite is the thirteenth way:

XIII

It was evening all afternoon.   

It was snowing   

And it was going to snow.   

The blackbird sat   

In the cedar-limbs.

As is always the case, by early September I am looking forward to Alaska’s long winter. This year, I am going to do my best to become the blackbird. I hope to spend as much time out in the elements as possible.

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