The dictionary defines: “a blackbird is a common European thrush or any bird of the family Icteridae whose male is black or predominantly black.” Wallace Stevens uses the word “blackbird” as an image that occurs in each of the thirteen stanzas. As there are thirteen ways of looking at a blackbird, he attaches peculiar attention to the number because this number associates with something strange and a little bit weird. In order to create readers’ visualization, the poet involves the image in different situations and places. The image “blackbird” gives readers a different scene in their mind. All the thirteen stanzas make readers think, ask questions, as well as, imagine new picture and scene.
No doubt, the first stanza is an introduction to the all poem. The poet describes a lone blackbird that lives among twenty snowy mountains. To my mind, by using the phrase:” the only moving thing was the eye of the blackbird” he wants to create a scene where one soul is imprisoned and lonely. As the eye is moving, it is clear, that the soul is looking for someone or longing for an escape. In the meantime, it can fly and search for a company but, apparently, an inner problem does not let him to do it. …
