Steppenwolf

Steppenwolf Prose Poem

The windows will be lighted not the rooms. (Wallace Stevens, “Auroras of Autumn”)

The house sits well back. The doors are open. At least, the front door is open, not sure about the back. The windows are all lighted, but I can’t be sure about the rooms themselves—whether they’re lighted, that is.

The house sits well back. The back door is open, but only by walking all the way around the house could I make sure of that. The open back door sheds light from a kitchen stove. Children run in and out.

The house sits well back. The windows are lighted, and because there’s a kitchen stove and children, I’m sure the rooms are lighted too—lighted with a soft warm light.

The house sits well back. The doors are open. But how rude it would be of me to walk in!
_________

Steppenwolf Sonnet

The windows will be lighted not the rooms. (Wallace Stevens, “Auroras of Autumn”)

The house sits well back; the doors are open.
At least, the front door is open, not sure about the back.
The windows are all lighted, but I can’t be sure about the rooms
themselves—whether they’re lighted, that is.

The house sits well back; the back door is open,
but only by walking all the way around the house
could I make sure of that. The open back door sheds light
from a kitchen stove. Children run in and out.

The house sits well back; the windows are lighted,
and, because there’s a kitchen stove and children, I’m sure
the rooms are lighted too, lighted with a soft warm light.

The house sits well back; the doors are open.
But how rude it would be of me
to walk in!


On a line from Jean Follain