Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

William Carlos Williams? "Tract" is a compelling and unconventional meditation on death, grief, and the rituals surrounding funerals. Through a direct and conversational tone, the poet critiques traditional funeral practices, advocating for a stripped-down, authentic approach that emphasizes simplicity, honesty, and communal participation. The poem challenges the ostentation often associated with mourning and instead calls for a raw, unadorned expression of loss.

The opening line, "I will teach you my townspeople," immediately establishes the speaker?s role as both a guide and a critic. Addressing his community, Williams adopts a didactic tone, suggesting that their current practices lack the "ground sense" necessary for meaningful rituals. This sets the stage for a systematic dismantling of traditional funeral conventions and a vision for an alternative, more sincere approach.

Williams begins his critique with the hearse, a central symbol of funerary tradition. He rejects the polished, black hearse typical of somber processions, proposing instead a "weathered" vehicle resembling a farm wagon. This imagery grounds the funeral in the practical and the familiar, rejecting the artificiality of conventional displays. The suggestion of "gilt wheels" adds a touch of individuality and personal care without veering into extravagance. By calling for a hearse "with no top at all" and "no glass," Williams eliminates barriers between the deceased and the mourners, emphasizing transparency and a shared connection with the natural elements.

The poet?s disdain for "hot house flowers" and excessive ornamentation further underscores his preference for authenticity. He suggests replacing elaborate floral arrangements with "some common memento," items that hold personal significance to the deceased. This shift from decorative to meaningful highlights the poet?s focus on individual identity and memory over superficial displays.

Williams extends his critique to the role of the undertaker, whom he sees as an intrusive figure in the mourning process. The image of the undertaker perched atop the hearse, wearing a "silk hat," epitomizes the formal and impersonal nature of traditional funerals. By calling for the driver to walk "low and inconspicuous," Williams emphasizes humility and respect, suggesting that mourning should center on the deceased and their community rather than on professionalized rituals.

The poem?s climax comes as Williams addresses the mourners directly, challenging them to participate in the funeral with genuine emotion and shared experience. He proposes walking behind the hearse, as is customary in some European traditions, or riding "with some show of inconvenience." This call to embrace discomfort reflects the poet?s belief that grief cannot—and should not—be hidden or sanitized. Mourning, he argues, should be a communal act, a raw and open acknowledgment of loss that binds the living together.

The poem’s structure mirrors its subject matter: unpolished, free-flowing, and conversational. The lack of formal rhyme or meter allows Williams to speak directly to his audience, creating an intimacy that aligns with his call for authenticity. His use of repetition and rhetorical questions reinforces the urgency and passion of his message. Phrases like "For Christ?s sake not black— / nor white either—and not polished!" convey a visceral rejection of convention, while questions such as "What are you thinking of?" challenge the reader to reconsider their assumptions about mourning.

"Tract" ultimately serves as both a critique and a manifesto, advocating for a funeral process that is personal, unpretentious, and deeply connected to the human experience. By rejecting artifice and embracing the raw realities of death, Williams reimagines the funeral as an act of communal solidarity and a celebration of the individual life lived. His vision is one of shared grief, honest remembrance, and a return to the elemental truths of existence—a powerful reminder of the ways in which simplicity and sincerity can honor the complexities of life and loss.

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