“Spring and All” by William Carlos Williams was not just about landscape or nature. It did describe in length the attributes of nature and natures awakening from winter but at the same time it felt like it was describing a moment of rebirth or natural birth.
“They enter the new world naked, cold, uncertain of all save that they enter. All about them the cold, familiar wind” (Williams 1467) and “But now the stark dignity of entrance-Still, the profound change has come upon them: rooted, they grip down and begin to awaken.” (Williams 1467).
Both of these stanzas taken from the poem not only describe the awakening of life after a cold winter but also an awakening or the soul (rebirth). When the reader sees that this poem is meant to be taken metaphorical and not just literally it allows them to relate to the message of the poem. It makes the poem more than just being about spring and instead it is about the growth within the individual and the ability to restart and enter the world with dignity and uncertainty of the future. This is something everyone strives for, especially if they feel they have made mistakes and wish to start over. The idea that the winter, the hard months of frozen fear or stress, is now gone and the chance to grow in the warmth of the healing spring, the time for new choices and new goals is an idea that is appealing to most readers.
In regards to this poem being about natural birth it could be assumed that because William Williams was a doctor, specifically dealing with house calls that occasionally dealt with childbirth, that he was describing the experience he witnessed of a new life coming into the world. The two stanzas mentioned above also reflect that idea of babies entering the world. This was also written during the Depression and that is why there is emphasis in this poem about spring being colder than one would usually describe it. There is an element of birth as a shocking experience, an experience that is scary and uncertain while at the same time it is embracing life.
Restarting always feels like it is impossible with humans because our past has a way of always being present within our lives. But within this poem I get the impression that there is hope for humans. We can restart and grow, like a flower in the spring breaking free from the confines of the frozen tundra. That was the main message that I found within this poem.
As I was researching more about this poet and poem I realized that I tend to not try hard enough to understand the meanings within these poems. Sometimes, yes, I believe that the poems are silly and have no real deep message (for instance in my case “This Is Just to Say” was a great example) but as we were discussing “The Hollow Men” I realized that I enjoyed finding the hidden meaning within the text and it was very interesting to discuss it with others. I took that new knowledge and applied it to this poem and found myself thinking new things about something that on first glance I thought was only about nature. “Spring and All” was in between too simple and too difficult because it was hard at first to find the deeper meaning behind the words but as one of my suite mates read the poem out loud to me things became clearer. A mix of metaphorical and practical meanings soon became apparent to me and this allowed me to organize my thoughts more effectively.
This was a really interesting poem. I liked the way in which Williams quietly affirmed life while writing about the gloomy cold of early spring. In your post, they way you laid out the three examples of spring growth, personal growth, and birth was helpful and expressive. It's nice to read a poem that seems a bit depressing and find hope in the end.
ReplyDeleteI hesitate to accept the terminology of meaning being "hidden" in poetry. It may often be "obscured" or "difficult," but that's different than suggesting there's an esoteric meaning in things. That's a quibble; it's more significant to me that you're working at the difficult meaning. I especially appreciate how you take the theme of rebirth and explore possible relevant dimensions in Williams's life and work.
ReplyDeleteReading (or hearing) poetry aloud is one of my go-to methods for understanding something that seems obscure. I hadn't made the connection between Williams birthing so many babies as it references in the headnote with the selections from the poem that you mention, so I'm glad you emphasized that.
ReplyDeleteI really like that you did some research about the time and author in order to give the poems both more background and meaning. Information about time period and author are not always as helpful or apply as well as they do to the poem that you discuss, but here I think it really helps your interpretation. Knowing that Williams was a doctor who delivered many babies throughout his life seems to give this poem more intrigue and weight.
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