The Endlessly Elaborating Poem: A Comparative Study of Walt Whitman, Wallace Stevens, and the American Experimental, Long Narrative Poem

Up to the middle of the nineteenth century, British and American poetry was expected to employ rigid metrical and rhythmical patterns. Any verse that did not conform was considered devoid of aesthetic merit. In addition, some critics, Edgar Allan Poe being one of those, argued that there was no place for a long poem in poetry. Walt Whitman and Wallace Stevens, two proponents of the long narrative poem, both wrote in free verse and, thus, directly confronted these traditional theories. This study demonstrates that the verse of Whitman and Stevens constitutes a new approach to poetic style and structure. A close examination reveals that their poems are neither unstructured or undetermined. Both men believed in the concept of the inseparability of language and the ideas fused within language. The purpose of the paper is to identify the cadences, rhythms, and syntactical structures used by Whitman and Stevens to determine what specific devices they shared. The most difficult question to answer is whether there are syntactical structures inherent in the language that necessarily bind both poets (and hypothetically, other American free verse writers) and shape the form their poetry finally takes. The opening section of this study examines Poe\u27s view of poetry and contrasts Whitman\u27s own stated goals for his long poem, Leaves of Grass. Whitman envisions a rhythm and meter which erupt and are formed from the language itself. Furthermore, Whitman thought the use of predesigned conventions such as rhythm and meter stifled poetry and made it boring and lifeless. In addition, traditional poetry, because of these conventions, was unable to embody the often paradoxical nature of human existence. The middle section examines Whitman\u27s use of particular devices in Leaves of Grass such as the repetition of syntactical structures, the use of ellipses, gerunds, participles, and so on. As the subject matter of Whitman\u27s poetry changed, likewise his methods of writing about these experiences changed. He frequently uses ungrammatical structures (in traditional terms), sentence fragments, and other devices to achieve his results. Certainly, Whitman\u27s new approach to poetry forced others who followed him to consider his claims for poetry and the topics it should confront. The study continues with an examination of Wallace Stevens\u27 long poem, An Ordinary Evening in New Haven, published in 1949. Stevens explicitly defended the value of the long poem. Furthermore, within this poem, Stevens investigates the subject of writing poetry itself. His theory of poetry is in direct opposition to the closed couplet, the highest ideal of nineteenth century rationalism. Like Whitman, he used whatever necessary syntactical and structural devices to reveal the paradoxical and often irrational nature of reality. This study concludes that both Whitman and Stevens left us with a new way of looking at poetry and the world, one richer in its potential than any we have had before

The Endlessly Elaborating Poem: A Comparative Study of Walt Whitman, Wallace Stevens, and the American Experimental, Long Narrative Poem

Up to the middle of the nineteenth century, British and American poetry was expected to employ rigid metrical and rhythmical patterns. Any verse that did not conform was considered devoid of aesthetic merit. In addition, some critics, Edgar Allan Poe being one of those, argued that there was no place for a long poem in poetry. Walt Whitman and Wallace Stevens, two proponents of the long narrative poem, both wrote in free verse and, thus, directly confronted these traditional theories. This study demonstrates that the verse of Whitman and Stevens constitutes a new approach to poetic style and structure. A close examination reveals that their poems are neither unstructured or undetermined. Both men believed in the concept of the inseparability of language and the ideas fused within language. The purpose of the paper is to identify the cadences, rhythms, and syntactical structures used by Whitman and Stevens to determine what specific devices they shared. The most difficult question to answer is whether there are syntactical structures inherent in the language that necessarily bind both poets (and hypothetically, other American free verse writers) and shape the form their poetry finally takes. The opening section of this study examines Poe\u27s view of poetry and contrasts Whitman\u27s own stated goals for his long poem, Leaves of Grass. Whitman envisions a rhythm and meter which erupt and are formed from the language itself. Furthermore, Whitman thought the use of predesigned conventions such as rhythm and meter stifled poetry and made it boring and lifeless. In addition, traditional poetry, because of these conventions, was unable to embody the often paradoxical nature of human existence. The middle section examines Whitman\u27s use of particular devices in Leaves of Grass such as the repetition of syntactical structures, the use of ellipses, gerunds, participles, and so on. As the subject matter of Whitman\u27s poetry changed, likewise his methods of writing about these experiences changed. He frequently uses ungrammatical structures (in traditional terms), sentence fragments, and other devices to achieve his results. Certainly, Whitman\u27s new approach to poetry forced others who followed him to consider his claims for poetry and the topics it should confront. The study continues with an examination of Wallace Stevens\u27 long poem, An Ordinary Evening in New Haven, published in 1949. Stevens explicitly defended the value of the long poem. Furthermore, within this poem, Stevens investigates the subject of writing poetry itself. His theory of poetry is in direct opposition to the closed couplet, the highest ideal of nineteenth century rationalism. Like Whitman, he used whatever necessary syntactical and structural devices to reveal the paradoxical and often irrational nature of reality. This study concludes that both Whitman and Stevens left us with a new way of looking at poetry and the world, one richer in its potential than any we have had before

The Breath of a Mournful Ghost

Pages 35-3

The Vehicle, Fall 1977

Table of Contents Round IBarry Smithpage 4 Thought PlungesPaul Freidingerpage 5 The Black Turkey BuzzardStarla Stensaaspage 6 Today\u27s GrammarJohn Rearden Jr.page 8 ResistanceLeah Muellerpage 10 The Cry of WingsJoan O\u27Connorpage 11 Lyman, South DakotaStarla Stensaaspage 12 The WeddingMark Learnardpage 14 Judy X.G.L. Bullardpage 21 An Altered Mirror ImageLisa Childresspage 22 Everson QuinnStarla Stensaaspage 24 The AquariumMichael Wischnowskipage 26 Unabridged VampStarla Stensaaspage 33 Danny Lonely, Danny WildDevin Brownpage 36 Last Silent BreathBarry Smithpage 37 FeathersLeah Muellerpage 39 Billy\u27s SongBarb Robinsonpage 40 The Bachelor\u27s SoliloquyOtis Beneforpage 41 The Lines Between ObjectsPaul Freidingerpage 42 Country TrainJim O\u27Dellpage 44 Galactic DemiseAndrew Leszczynskipage 45 On ClicheThomas J. Phillipspage 46 Art CoverGary Kott DrawingJoyce Bonwellpage 7 PhotographMarian Lathapage 13 Intaglio printBecky Wilhourpage 21 DrawingSue Andespage 23 DrawingScott Kellerpage 25 DrawingCathy Cooperpage 38 PhotographReta Paffordpage 43 DrawingJan Tracypage 44 PhotographGary Kottpage 48https://thekeep.eiu.edu/vehicle/1098/thumbnail.jp

The Vehicle, Fall 1977

Table of Contents Round IBarry Smithpage 4 Thought PlungesPaul Freidingerpage 5 The Black Turkey BuzzardStarla Stensaaspage 6 Today\u27s GrammarJohn Rearden Jr.page 8 ResistanceLeah Muellerpage 10 The Cry of WingsJoan O\u27Connorpage 11 Lyman, South DakotaStarla Stensaaspage 12 The WeddingMark Learnardpage 14 Judy X.G.L. Bullardpage 21 An Altered Mirror ImageLisa Childresspage 22 Everson QuinnStarla Stensaaspage 24 The AquariumMichael Wischnowskipage 26 Unabridged VampStarla Stensaaspage 33 Danny Lonely, Danny WildDevin Brownpage 36 Last Silent BreathBarry Smithpage 37 FeathersLeah Muellerpage 39 Billy\u27s SongBarb Robinsonpage 40 The Bachelor\u27s SoliloquyOtis Beneforpage 41 The Lines Between ObjectsPaul Freidingerpage 42 Country TrainJim O\u27Dellpage 44 Galactic DemiseAndrew Leszczynskipage 45 On ClicheThomas J. Phillipspage 46 Art CoverGary Kott DrawingJoyce Bonwellpage 7 PhotographMarian Lathapage 13 Intaglio printBecky Wilhourpage 21 DrawingSue Andespage 23 DrawingScott Kellerpage 25 DrawingCathy Cooperpage 38 PhotographReta Paffordpage 43 DrawingJan Tracypage 44 PhotographGary Kottpage 48https://thekeep.eiu.edu/vehicle/1098/thumbnail.jp