A poet looks at the world as a man looks at a woman.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- He compares a poet's relationship to the world with a man's relationship to a woman, suggesting intimacy and scrutiny.
- In plain terms
- A poet studies the world the way a man studies a woman.
- What can you take from it?
- Approach the world with deep attention.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- How should we look at the world?
- Is observation intimate?
Another view
The comparison risks objectification or oversimplification of gender dynamics.
More from Wallace Stevens
A poem should be a part of one's sense of life.
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