Domination Of Black - A poem by Wallace Stevens

Wallace Stevens - Domination Of Black

At night, by the fire,
The colors of the bushes
And of the fallen leaves,
Repeating themselves,
Turned in the room,
Like the leaves themselves
Turning in the wind.
Yes: but the color of the heavy hemlocks
Came striding.
And I remembered the cry of the peacocks.

The colors of their tails
Were like the leaves themselves
Turning in the wind,
In the twilight wind.
They swept over the room,
Just as they flew from the boughs of the hemlocks
Down to the ground.
I heard them cry -- the peacocks.
Was it a cry against the twilight
Or against the leaves themselves
Turning in the wind,
Turning as the flames
Turned in the fire,
Turning as the tails of the peacocks
Turned in the loud fire,
Loud as the hemlocks
Full of the cry of the peacocks?
Or was it a cry against the hemlocks?

Out of the window,
I saw how the planets gathered
Like the leaves themselves
Turning in the wind.
I saw how the night came,
Came striding like the color of the heavy hemlocks
I felt afraid.
And I remembered the cry of the peacocks.

Added: on September 19th, 2005 at 12:26 PM | Viewed: 6550 times | Comments and analysis of Domination Of Black by Wallace Stevens Comments (3)

Domination Of Black - Comments and Information
Poet: Wallace Stevens Poem: Domination Of Black Poem of the Day: Jul 27 2006 Comment 3 of 3, added on January 10th, 2007 at 6:32 PM. I believe that it shows how night turns simple things into our greatest fears. At night a cat running by, or wind blowing through the trees can scare us because our imagination takes flight. It is in this way that darkness rules us..it gives strength to those fears and allows them to take over us. Meg from United States Comment 2 of 3, added on February 12th, 2006 at 11:17 PM. I don't believe this one has a clear "meaning." Perhaps it's best to think of it more like a musical tone poem or as an abstract painting with words rather than paint. There are some meaningful trends in the text: night is coming on, and it is autumn, both of these have symbolic associations with death or its approach. The poem is hypnotic in its repetitions, and builds from leaves turning in the wind all the way to the stars turning in the heavens. A dark mood prevails and the poet feels fear. And then there are those haunting cries from the peacocks. This is one of my favorite poems, even if I don't think it has a clearly definable meaning. It is an object of beauty, to be seen simply for what it is. (see his poem the snow man). Andy from United States Comment 1 of 3, added on September 19th, 2005 at 12:26 PM. i am an indian student. it is difficult poem. i cannot understand. sunan from India More Comments >> Are you looking for more information on this poem? Perhaps you are trying to analyze it? The poem, Domination Of Black, has received 3 comments. Click here to read them, and perhaps post a comment of your own. Of course you can also always discuss poems by Wallace Stevens with others on the American Poems poetry forum!

Poem Info
Poet: Wallace Stevens Poem: Domination Of Black Last read: Jul 24 2008, 6:43PM Poem of the Day: Jul 27 2006 Viewed 6550 times. Added on September 19th, 2005 at 12:26 PM.

Stevens Info
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