Quotes from book
Journey to Love

Journey to Love
William Carlos Williams

Journey to Love was a 1955 Random House book by the American modernist poet/writer William Carlos Williams. He dedicated it to his wife. All of the poems are in triadic stanza form, sometimes "with a short fourth line to fill out the measure."Journey to Love is now collected, along with Pictures from Brueghel and Other Poems and The Desert Music and Other Poems , in the New Directions paperback Pictures from Brueghel and other poems by William Carlos Williams: Collected Poems 1950-1962.

William Carlos Williams photo

“It is difficult
to get the news from poems

yet men die miserably every day

for lack”

William Carlos Williams book Journey to Love

'of what is found there.'
Journey to Love (1955), Asphodel, That Greeny Flower
Source: Asphodel, That Greeny Flower and Other Love Poems: That Greeny Flower

William Carlos Williams photo

“Of asphodel, that greeny flower,

::like a buttercup

::::upon its branching stem —

save that's green and wooden —

::I come, my sweet,

::::to sing to you.

We lived long together,

::a life filled,

::::if you will,

with flowers. So that

::I was cheered

::::when I first came to know

that there were flowers also

::in hell.

::::Today

I'm filled with the fading memory of those flowers

::that we both loved,

::::even to this poor

colorless thing —

::I saw it

::::when I was a child —

little prized among the living

::but the dead see,

::::asking among themselves:

What do I remember

::that was shaped

::::as this thing is shaped?
while our eyes fill
::with tears.
::::Of love, abiding love
it will be telling
::though too weak a wash of crimson
::::colors it
to make it wholly credible.
::There is something
::::something urgent
I have to say to you
::and you alone
::::but it must wait
while I drink in
::the joy of your approach,
::::perhaps for the last time.
And so
::with fear in my heart
::::I drag it out
and keep on talking
::for I dare not stop.”

William Carlos Williams book Journey to Love

Journey to Love (1955), Asphodel, That Greeny Flower

William Carlos Williams photo

“It is difficult
to get the news from poems”

William Carlos Williams book Journey to Love

Journey to Love (1955), Asphodel, That Greeny Flower

William Carlos Williams photo

“Only give me time”

William Carlos Williams book Journey to Love

Journey to Love (1955), Asphodel, That Greeny Flower

William Carlos Williams photo

“The storm bursts”

William Carlos Williams book Journey to Love

Journey to Love (1955), Asphodel, That Greeny Flower

William Carlos Williams photo

“The storm unfolds.”

William Carlos Williams book Journey to Love

Journey to Love (1955), Asphodel, That Greeny Flower

William Carlos Williams photo

“I come, my sweet”

William Carlos Williams book Journey to Love

Journey to Love (1955), Asphodel, That Greeny Flower

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