William Carlos Williams

Celebrate the glories of everyday life through the words of William Carlos Williams, whose work changed the nature of American poetry. Equally expressive paintings -- as free flowing and alive as Williams' poetry -- capture the spirit of his verse. Like the poems, they let you see ordinary objects and events in a new and unique way. Although he practiced medicine for more than forty years, Williams began writing poems as a student in high school. Later, by breaking many of the established rules, he invented a strikingly fresh and totally American style of poetry. His works will awaken you to the sights and sounds of life around you. Enter the world of William Carlos Williams, where snowfall makes "Hairy looking trees stand out / in long alleys / over a wide solitude." Feel for yourself the power of his words, where "Vibrant bowing limbs pull downward / sucking in the sky / that bulges from behind," where surprising details about "The sparrow with the black rain on his breast" bring new energy to the coming of spring. Whether he is focusing on world-shaking occasions such as the first man to orbit the earth or something as simple as a red wheel barrow -- "so much depends / upon / a red wheel / barrow / glazed with rain / water / beside the white / chickens" -- the simple beauty of his rhythm and language brings you right into the moment. One of the first modern poets to use ordinary language in a beautiful, straightforward way, Williams became a great force in American verse. Book jacket.