Gubbinal

That strange flower, the sun,
Is just what you say.
Have it your way

The world is ugly,
And people are sad.

That tuft of jungle feathers,
That animal eye,
Is just as you say.

That savage of fire,
That seed,
Have it your way.

The world is ugly,
And people are sad.

Wallace Stevens


When I first read this poem it seemed to me to be in direct contrast with what we had learned about Stevens' views on life. In that this poem seemed to be overwhelmingly pessimistic, where as Stevens is usually an idealist. However upon a second look i realized that the truth of the poem, is a comment on exactly how not to live. Before the lines of "the world is ugly, and people are sad", it says "is just as you say. Have it your way." and between these two line we see the classic Stevens battle between reality and imagination. This poem is saying the life is what you make it, but people insist on making life ugly, and there fore they are sad.