Thursday, April 14, 2011

spring and all

(9x12)

Spring and All
William Carlos Williams

By the road to the contagious hospital
under the surge of the blue
mottled clouds driven from the
northeast—a cold wind. Beyond, the
waste of broad, muddy fields
brown with dried weeds, standing and fallen

patches of standing water
the scattering of tall trees

All along the road the reddish
purplish, forked, upstanding, twiggy
stuff of bushes and small trees
with dead, brown leaves under them
leafless vines—

Lifeless in appearance, sluggish
dazed spring approaches—

They enter the new world naked,
cold, uncertain of all
save that they enter. All about them
the cold, familiar wind—

Now the grass, tomorrow
the stiff curl of wildcarrot leaf

One by one objects are defined—
It quickens: clarity, outline of leaf

But now the stark dignity of
entrance—Still, the profound change
has come upon them: rooted they
grip down and begin to awaken

5 comments:

Carol Blackburn said...

Beautiful and so full of life. Enjoy your day.

marnold said...

Nice composition and colors. A bit at odds with the WCW, but happily so.

RH Carpenter said...

This is so lovely! Definitely a breath of spring.

A Brush with Color said...

Oh, I looooove William Carlos Williams. Beautiful spring post, Laura!

Ann Buckner said...

Looks beautiful Laura