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10, 2006
William Carlos Williams
William Carlos Williams -- Jerz: American Lit II (EL 267)
"Thesse things astonish me beypnd words."
I think what he is trying to say at the end of the poem on page 147 is that things are always happening that may seem weird but you can not change what happens on a daily basis. There are some things that us humans can not control and that are out of our hands.
Posted by MelissaLupari at 10, 2006 02:07
Comments
I didn't see it the way that you did...I took this line to mean more like the author sees himself as both blessed and cursed to be able to make the observations that he does. He chooses such an odd subject to compare to a clergyman to show the type of strange delight his imagination gives him. I don't see this as a control thing; he is bemusedly enchanted with the world and his subjective interpretations of it.
Posted by: Brenda Christeleit at 12, 2006 06:24
Missy, I agree that there are things like the poet is saying we cannot control everything. However, we as Americans do like to control everything and some of our natures are be in control and change everything and everyone. But reality is that some things are not changeable for a reason.
Posted by: LisaRandolph at 12, 2006 08:09
It seems Williams' is showing us that the birds and the old man do whatever they feel a need to do and are truly alive, while those of us who are "wiser shut ourselves in". He is "astonished" by the idea that we who feel we are better than simple birds or an old man searching the gutter cannot let go and live our lives freely speaking our minds.
Posted by: Jennifer DiFulvio at 15, 2006 10:45