This is Just to Say

This is Just to Say
I have eaten
the plums
that were in
the icebox

and which
you were probably
saving
for breakfast

Forgive me
they were delicious
so sweet
and so cold
- William Carlos Williams

I don't remember when I first came across this poem. It may have been when my sister was writing a paper on "The Red Wheelbarrow." and I was curious to see what else this poet had written (at the time I think I was rather stunned at how you could write anything lengthy about that poem to begin with). Or maybe it was after I had to deal with "The Red Wheelbarrow" on my own and wanted to see what else Williams had to offer. Maybe it was in that Freshmen English text book I "borrowed" from Mrs. Fedynyshyn's class. Who knows?! Whatever it was though I'm glad I came across it.

Andrew makes fun of me for liking it. It's too simple. I think putting it in my aim profile caused LO to write a similar poem of his own as a rebuttle once. I'm fine with people not understanding why a 12 line poem, that is essetinally three sentences long is one of my most favorite poems...but I'm also a little irked by it.

One of the main reasons why I like the poem is the instant visualization I get. I can see the actually act of the poem happening. When I read the poem I see the speaker in my head relishing in the plums. I see the poem being left as a note on the icebox to the plum owner. The crushed face of that recipient. I can see the plums themselves, the glorious, juicy, perfection worthy plums. The visual I get from the poem is so complex that I can even feel the receiver's dissapointment and the speaker's false apologies. And yet I know that this poem goes beyond an insincere apology over a ruined breakfast. I get the deeper meaning, I see the "universal truth" (for lack of a better term) in it. The fact however, that it's so simple and creates such a familiar image and a powerful image to me makes it so genius. Everything that needed to be told is stated in three simple lines. Three lines that tell a story that almost everyone can relate to. Three lines that work the magic of 20 or thirty.

It actually makes me quite jealous, I wish I could capture something so complex into simple language. I wish I could capture every single little idea or visual or scenario that sparked in my head into three sentences, 12 lines, one short poem and then feel free to just send it off to the world.