The River of Rivers ...

The River of Rivers in Connecticut clearly shows the line "The poetry is the subject of the poem" is true of Wallace Stevens poems. This is shown through every word of this poem. The way it is written, and the way in which he paints the beautiful pictures with his words is very evident of this.

"There is a great river this side of Stygia,
Before one comes to the first black cataracts
And the trees that lack the intelligence of trees."

This paints a beautiful picture of the land of Stygia, and how beautiful it is, before the world blinds you from it, the black cataracts. And the trees loose their intelligence, and become unromantic and stupid. This stanza is all about the poetry because it creates a picture of a magical land that is perfect. Then it goes on to explain this beautiful river:

"In the river, far this side of Stygia,
The mere flowing of the water is a gayety,
Flashing and flashing in the sun. On its banks,

No shadow walks. The river is fateful,
Like the last one. But there is no ferryman.
He could not bend against its propelling force."

The river is so strong and pure that it is untouched by humans. There isn't even a ferryman to pollute it. This beautiful river is described in such profound words like: 'the flowing is a gayety,' 'it flashes in the sun,' 'fateful,' like the last one.' How can a river be described in such terms without it being about the words and the poetry. Then in starts to describe the town:

"It is not to be seen beneath the appearances
That tell of it. The steeple at Farmington
Stands glistening and Haddam shines and sways.

It is the third commonness with light and air,
A curriculum, a vigor, a local abstraction...
Call it, once more, a river, an unnamed flowing,

Space-filled, reflecting the seasons, the folk-lore
Of each of the senses; call it, again and again,
The river that flows nowhere, like a sea."

It is a romantic town, filled with 'light and air' that is centered around the river. There is something very poetic about a town that is completely focused on a river. Something that takes away from the romance is that Haddam, Connecticut is an actual town. But perhaps giving the real town such romantic qualities does make it romantic after all.