WALLACE STEVENS

THE EMPEROR OF ICE-CREAM

1922





Call the roller of big cigars,
The muscular one, and bid him whip
In kitchen cups concupiscent curds.
Let the wenches dawdle in such dress
As they are used to wear, and let the boys
Bring flowers in last month's newspapers.
Let be be finale of seem.
The only emperor is the emperor of ice-cream.


(etc...)

Wallace Stevens 1879-1955

Wallace Stevens was an insurance salesman and then VP of the company. He wrote poetry and became successful in this later in life. He had his theories about what poetry was and how a poem should be and like all theories of poetry by writers of it, I opine that this was a justification of his voice and of his style... 


There's room for everyone.