Poem: “The Paltry Nude Starts on a Spring Voyage” by Wallace Stevens

Download PDF

American Literature – American Poetry – Wallace Stevens – Poems by Wallace Stevens –
< < < In the Carolinas
The Plot against the Giant > > >

The Paltry Nude Starts on a Spring Voyage

But not on a shell, she starts,
Archaic, for the sea.
But on the first-found weed
She scuds the glitters,
Noiselessly, like one more wave.

She too is discontent
And would have purple stuff upon her arms,
Tired of the salty harbors,
Eager for the brine and bellowing
Of the high interiors of the sea.

The wind speeds her,
Blowing upon her hands
And watery back.
She touches the clouds, where she goes
In the circle of her traverse of the sea.

Yet this is meagre play
In the scurry and water-shine,
As her heels foam—
Not as when the goldener nude
Of a later day

Will go, like the centre of sea-green pomp,
In an intenser calm,
Scullion of fate,
Across the spick torrent, ceaselessly,
Upon her irretrievable way.

< < < In the Carolinas
The Plot against the Giant > > >

American Literature – American Poetry – Wallace Stevens – Poems by Wallace Stevens

If you liked this article, subscribe , put likes, write comments!

Share on social networks

Visit us on Facebook or Twitter

Check out Our Latest Posts

The Paltry Nude Starts on a Spring Voyage

Leave a comment Cancel reply