The Snow Man

From his brief history presented in Literature and the Environment, Wallace Stevens seems to be break the traditional mold for successful poets. He was a lawyer, a business man, and accustomed to city life, whereas most traditional poets concentrated on much more abstract professions and preferred life in the countryside. However, what does link Stevens to poets like Robert Frost is his use of natural imagery to bring his poem to life. In particular, his poem "The Snow Man" encourages the reader to "cultivate a more ample perception of the natural world." Although short, this poem is packed with meaning and several key points that follow.

The first key point that I gather from Stevens poem is that an individual must make himself one with nature; not a visitor that is passing through, but an integral part of the environment. This point comes from phrases that Stevens incorporates such as "One must have a mind of winter," "And have been cold a long time," and finally "and not to think of any misery." When studied together, these three seem to imply that in order to receive the knowledge of nature, one must embody the environment and tune out all distractions. By utilizing winter time, Stevens is able to address some of these mental disturbances. If we are too busy thinking about how cold it is, then we will never unlock the valuable secrets that nature has to offer.

The second key point that Stevens addresses in "The Snow Man" is that if we do not accurately tune our senses to understand nature, then all value will be lost. It is from this phrase that I gathered this notion: "For the listener, who listens in the snow, and nothing himself, beholds, nothing that is not there and the nothing that is.' From Stevens description, nature seems to be a fleeting entity; if we do not capture its knowledge when we have the chance, then it will escape with no notice of us.

The feelings that "The Snow Man" evokes are two fold: excitement and regret. I feel excitement because I look forward to the next opportunity I have to just sit back, relax, and take in the world around me. The way that Stevens describes letting nature envelope you seems so relaxing, fulfilling, and tranquil. I the regret that I feel comes from the fact that I have not done this before. In my 20 years on this earth, I cannot remember a single time that I shut out all distractions just to take in nature. I have been camping, hiking, and fishing before, but I have never experienced the enlightened euphoria that Stevens describes. Despite this regret, I look forward to my next opportunity to take nature in.

In terms of the big picture, this poem relates very closely to ideas expressed in Thoreau's work Walden. In this book, and more specific the excerpt we read (Solitude), Thoreau describes the rewards of living in isolation. Both of these men (Stevens and Thoreau) seem to discover deep meaning and experience great pleasure while organically exposed to nature. What I personally prefer about Stevens viewpoint is that there is no mention of solitude and a lack of human relationships. In his poetry, he seems to describe a solitary vacation in nature, while Thoreau promotes a solitary life in nature. After reading through this poem several times, one outside practice in particular was brought to mind. That practice is silent retreats. The idea of maintaining a several day private reflection coupled with the presence of nature seems to be exactly what Stevens was encouraging. By not speaking and simply experiencing the environment around you, one could most definitely get in tune with the natural world.

Ultimately, this poem has a powerful meaning for me. I had a somewhat negative response to Thoreau's idea of solitude in Walden based on the fact that it encourages a lack of relationships. On the contrary, my reaction to "The Snow Man" was a very positive one. I feel as if Stevens' advice is much more moderate, realistic, and beneficial. Based on this reading I intend to take time to imbibe nature whenever the opportunity presents itself. I know later on in the semester we will be going to an arborium. This seems like a great chance to soak up my environment, but I also intend to take steps outside of class to do so. Next time I am feeling depressed, angry, frustrated, or even restless, I will go out into the world and shut everything out except for the knowledge that nature is trying to impart on me.

Questions -

If the chills and wind of snow are distractions, what are the corresponding distractions in more clement weather?

What sort of natural settings work best? or is it a personal choice?

What if my access to nature is limited based on my current location? Is there other ways of achieving similar results?