Pastoral by William Carlos Williams

When I was younger
it was plain to me
I must make something of myself.
Older now
I walk back streets
admiring the houses
of the very poor:
roof out of line with sides
the yards cluttered
with old chicken wire, ashes,
furniture gone wrong;
the fences and outhouses
built of barrel staves
and parts of boxes, all,
if I am fortunate,
smeared a bluish green
that properly weathered
pleases me best of all colors.
No one
will believe this
of vast import to the nation.


This poem deals with the authors life, and what he loves about his surrounding world. Things that people don’t care about, are very important to him. The life in the country-like neighborhood is what he really likes. He uses high quality words, which the reader appreciates because they deliver a real deep sense of what he is trying to say and how. Every simple, as well as detailed word, really helped to understand the context and message William Carlos Williams is trying to bring across. His life is different to those, of the vast majority of the population. I think that this really grabs the readers mind and reminds him/her to think about what really is important to them. Is it the prestige of driving a big car, wearing a big watch, or wearing a brand shirt? Or is it the environment which really makes us comfortable and we love to be in? Everyone should ask himself these questions at least once in a while. It really makes us realize what is important, and what isn't. No matter what it is, that is important to an individual, he should always think about it when complaining about anything; we have more privileges than we realize in the first second.