- PortfolioAn Untitled Poem and Three Family Photographs
THIS SMALL PORTFOLIO collects a handful of Stevensiana that we are happy to present to our readers. The first is a brief untitled poem in three rhyming stanzas, clearly in Wallace Stevens's hand, that was recently found in his mahogany secretary. We have transcribed it below (with uncertain punctuation at the end of the first and second stanzas) and reproduce an image of the manuscript, both with the kind permission of Stevens's grandson, Peter Hanchak. We are not aware that this poem has ever been discussed or reprinted before. To this unusual finding we are adding three family photographs. Both the poem and the photographs are part of the poet's personal belongings that are for sale through his estate agent, Elliot Ephraim, who may be contacted at outofprintbooks1@mindspring.com. The family pictures are from Stevens's last holiday trip to the Casa Marina in Key West in February 1940; they show, respectively, Robert Frost, Stevens and Frost, and Stevens with Judge Arthur Powell. Several more photographs, many of them pictured in Letters of Wallace Stevens, are available for purchase.
The Editors
In a cloudy landThere is a moving riverA deep and moving riverSliding through gray sand
There is no sound thereExcept of moving waterOf deep and sliding waterAnd of restless air.
Two flamingoes passOne then the other flyingWearily, over-flyingThat watery glass.
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