Light
Is the lion that comes down to drink.

In two compressed lines, Stevens turns an abstract phenomenon—light—into a vivid, animal presence. Calling light “the lion that comes down to drink” suggests something powerful and instinctual that descends from a height (sky, sun, or a ridge of shadow) to take in the world. The image implies both majesty and appetite: light is not passive illumination but an active force that “drinks” from surfaces, colors, and forms, making them visible by consuming darkness. The metaphor also hints at danger and awe; like a lion at a watering place, light can be sudden, dominating, and transformative, altering what we think we see and how we feel about it.