"The Widow's Lament in Springtime" ~by William Carlos Williams

(#10)

This poem is filled with imagery and symbolism. The settings are described by colors, plants, and locations. "Masses of flowers load the cherry branches and color some bushes yellow and some red." This description creates a mental image of the yard as the widow sees it. The imagery of the yard and the meadow create a tone of lament. The widow sees her yard and is filled with grief at the loss of her husband. The "plumbtree with masses of flowers" reminds her of the thirty five years she spent with her husband. The meadow is described as being "at the edge of the heavy woods in the distance...white flowers." This imagery is also a symbol. The "heavy woods in the distance" represent the difficult time the widow is going through as a result of her husband's death. The meadow on the other side is representative of moving on past all the grief in order to find the happiness in life again. The trees of white flowers that once brought happiness to her husband and her now only bring sadness. The white flowers on the other side of the heavy woods represent finding that happiness again.