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Poems
Poems | William Carlos Williams
16 posts | 4 read | 1 to read
Before William Carlos Williams was recognized as one of the most important innovators in American poetry, he commissioned a printer to publish 100 copies of Poems (1909), a small collection largely imitating the styles of the Romantics and the Victorians. This volume collects the self-published edition of Poems, Williams's foray into the world of letters, with previously unpublished notes he made after spending nearly a year in Europe rethinking poetry and how to write it. As Poems shows his first tentative steps into poetry, the notes show him as he prepares to make a giant transformation in his art. Shortly after Poems appeared, Williams went through a series of experiences that changed his life-a trip to Europe, a marriage to the sister of the woman he genuinely loved, and the establishment of his medical practice. In Europe he was introduced to a consideration of an unlikely trio: Heinrich Heine, Martin Luther, and Richard Wagner, resulting in an exposure that subsequently influenced his developing style. Williams looked back on Poems as apprentice work, calling them, bad Keats, nothing else-oh well, bad Whitman too. But I sure loved them... booklet-except the intent, and never republished the collection. Now that Williams's work is widely read and appreciated, his reputation secure, his development as a poet is a matter worth serious study, Poems can be seen as a point of departure, a clear record of where Williams began before his life and ideas about poetry made seismic shifts. Virginia M. Wright-Peterson's succinct introduction puts Poems in the context of his life and times, discusses the reception of the volume, his reconsideration of the poems, and what they reveal about his poetic ambitions.
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TheSpineView
Poems | William Carlos Williams
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dabbe 💚💙💚 1mo
IndoorDame 💜♥️💜 1mo
32 likes3 comments
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merelybookish
Poems | William Carlos Williams
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IndoorDame Love seeing writing pieces in response to art!!! 4mo
TheSpineView 💜💜💜 4mo
dabbe That's one of my favorite paintings! Love this poem, too. Thanks! 🩵🩶🩵 4mo
32 likes3 comments
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TheSpineView
Poems | William Carlos Williams
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dabbe 🧡🖤💜 4mo
45 likes2 comments
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TheSpineView
Poems | William Carlos Williams
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dabbe 🩵🤍🩵 10mo
34 likes2 comments
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merelybookish
Poems | William Carlos Williams
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William Carlos Williams 💜

#plum #poetrymatters @TheSpineView

TheSpineView 💜🫐💜 2y
Vansa He really likes fruit, no?!! 2y
merelybookish @Vansa Plums in particular! 😁 2y
52 likes3 comments
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Branwen
Poems | William Carlos Williams
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National Poetry Month: Day 25! 📖❤

When I first read this poem by William Carlos Williams, years ago, I thought it was so dumb. I didn't like it's simplicity and what I perceived to be pointlessness. But I'll be damned if it didn't get in my head and wouldn't let me stop thinking about it! Now, it's a favorite of mine! And I think of it every time I'm eating plums, which is one of my favorite summer fruits!

#NationalPoetryMonth

slategreyskies I had a similar reaction when I first heard this. I just didn‘t get it. Now it‘s one of my favorites as well. I can still hear it being read to me by my poetry mentor. He died years ago, but the memory of him reading this poem to one of our classes stays with me as one of my cherished memories. Truly a beautifully sweet poem. 🥰 2y
Branwen @slategreyskies Awww, what a great association to have with this poem! 💕 2y
37 likes2 comments
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GatheringBooks
Poems | William Carlos Williams
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#PoetryMatters Day 15: #Ogre - I lovelovelove William Carlos Williams who started out as a medical doctor then became a poet. 💕

TheSpineView 💜💜💜 2y
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TheSpineView
Poems | William Carlos Williams
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IndoorDame This is the one I picked too! Love this imagery! 3y
TheSpineView @IndoorDame Me too! Great minds! 😁👍📚 3y
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IndoorDame
Poems | William Carlos Williams
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TheSpineView 💜💙💚 3y
31 likes1 comment
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erzascarletbookgasm
Poems | William Carlos Williams
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TheSpineView Great choice! Love the analogy. 😍 3y
50 likes1 comment
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BookishMe
Poems | William Carlos Williams
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runswithscissors007 💗🖤💗 4y
BookishMe @runswithscissors007 😋 ❣️😋 4y
TheSpineView 🤩👍😊 4y
BookishMe @TheSpineView ☺️😋☺️ 4y
31 likes4 comments
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TheSpineView
Poems | William Carlos Williams
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Leftcoastzen Love WCW! 4y
35 likes2 comments
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merelybookish
Poems | William Carlos Williams
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Prompt made me think of this poem. It's kind of an apology but is he #sorry?
#MOvember @cinfhen

batsy Well played! 4y
merelybookish @batsy Love me some WCW! 😊 4y
vivastory The original #sorrynotsorry 4y
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Cinfhen Ha!! 4y
readordierachel Perfect 😆 4y
jewright My favorite poem by him! 4y
Reggie Lololol 4y
jillrhudy Apology NOT accepted, I have thought for 35 years! Go buy more you filcher! 4y
60 likes1 stack add9 comments
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Lcsmcat
Poems | William Carlos Williams
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“So much depends
upon
a #red wheel
barrow
glazed with rain
water
beside the white
chickens”

#quotsydec18 @TK-421

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merelybookish
Poems | William Carlos Williams
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I didn't get it for a long time, but I've grown to appreciate William Carlos Williams's work. (I also highly recommend Paterson, a beautiful movie about a bus driver/poet inspired by W.C.W.)
#classic #poetrymatters @LazyDays

kspenmoll Love this. 6y
Leftcoastzen I love Adam Driver and adore the film Patterson.My heart leaps for the red wheelbarrow and the white chickens! (edited) 6y
merelybookish @Leftcoastzen 🐔🐔🐔♥️ (Adam Driver is so good and so versatile!) 6y
Lcsmcat I love this one! 6y
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TobeyTheScavengerMonk
Poems | William Carlos Williams
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3rd grade poem for #PoetryWednesday

LeahBergen A fave. 👏🏻👏🏻 6y
Leftcoastzen Love him! 6y
merelybookish Have you seen Paterson? Great movie! (Williams makes me think if it!) 6y
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Lcsmcat A favorite! 👏🏻 6y
TobeyTheScavengerMonk @merelybookish I both own and love it! 6y
merelybookish @TobeyTheScavengerMonk Have you seen Columbus? It had a similar vibe to Paterson, I thought. Also really good. ☺️ 6y
TobeyTheScavengerMonk @merelybookish Nope! That one is on my radar though. 6y
batsy So sweet and so cold 💜 6y
54 likes1 stack add8 comments