the wind shifts, by wallace stevens

this is how the wind shifts:
like the thoughts of an old human
who still think eagerly
and despairingly.
the wind shifts like this:
like a human without illusions,
who still feels irrational things within her.
the wind shifts like this:
like humans approaching proudly,
like humans approaching angrily.
this is how the wind shifts:
like a human, heavy and heavy,
who does not care.

(from Stevens, Collected Poetry & Prose, p. 68)

*     *     *     *     *

There used to be an old expression, 'there's been a shift in the wind,' to indicate a change in the feeling, tone or mood of a group or of a significant person, like a boss, or a difficult relative.  I hardly ever hear it anymore, but maybe it was more prevalent during a simpler time, when people lived closer to the agricultural world.  My father was a seaman, so the concept of a 'shift in the wind' was important and meaningful at our house.

Anyway, the 'psychological wind' meant here does shift in an irrational way, even for those who believe they have no illusions, and perhaps don't.  Interesting that Stevens sees the human who 'doesn't care' as 'heavy.'  Not easily shifted by the wind, I should think, but apparently Stevens disagrees.  However, our own mood can easily shift when we are around someone who is depressed, who 'doesn't care.'  Perhaps this is what he alludes to.

Comments

[Lori Witzel]

Lovely daoist stuff in the beautiful language. Ever shifting, ever blown...

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Another jewel from Wallace Steven, I love his oeuvres since I read them in seminar a long time ago.

[pinnacle security]

I love his principle.

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the wind...the night calling me to become the being I really are, feel the cold in my skin...the moon arise in the sky and the star scream, finally I set me free from this humand bonds, and walk in my true form...a howl cut the silence and blood-curdling...is my time...the time of the beast, I hope that you like this little text, I wrote it in five minutes.