Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

William Carlos Williams’s "History" is an ambitious and multilayered poem that navigates themes of time, mortality, cultural legacy, and the persistence of human desires. By blending fragmented modern observations with reflections on ancient civilizations, the poem interrogates how history is constructed and experienced. Through vivid imagery and biting irony, Williams critiques humanity's attempts to immortalize itself while acknowledging the transient pleasures of life.

The poem is divided into five numbered sections, each with its own focus and tone, allowing Williams to explore history from multiple perspectives. These sections range from contemporary urban life to ancient Egyptian funerary practices, culminating in a reflection on the ongoing vitality of the world despite the inevitability of decay.

In the opening section, the speaker introduces a contemporary setting: "A wind might blow a lotus petal / over the pyramids -- but not this wind." This line contrasts the timeless imagery of the lotus and pyramids with the harsh, unromantic reality of a modern city. The speaker observes the urban landscape where "leaves stir this way then that / on the baked asphalt," blending the natural with the artificial in a scene dominated by decay and disconnection. The juxtaposition of "gas smells" with "leaf smells" underscores the tension between organic and industrial worlds. The speaker’s exclamation, "Oh, Sunday, day of worship!!!," drips with irony as they observe the sterile solemnity of a museum, where relics of the past, such as "turquoise-colored necklaces" and "delicately veined basins," are surrounded by the mundane stench of "stale urine." This section captures a sense of disillusionment with the ways history is packaged and consumed in modern life.

In the second section, Williams shifts focus to the ancient world, examining an Egyptian sarcophagus: "This sarcophagus contained the body / of Uresh-Nai, priest to the goddess Mut, / Mother of All." The description of the intricate carvings and the prideful inscription reflects humanity’s desire for permanence and legacy. The command to "run your finger against this edge!" invites the reader to engage directly with the craftsmanship, marveling at "an arrogance endured six thousand years." However, the speaker’s tone is critical, viewing these grand attempts at immortality as ultimately futile. The lines "Love is an oil to embalm the body. / Love is a packet of spices" transform love into a practical, preservative force, further diminishing its romantic idealization. The speaker critiques the ways even love can become commodified, reduced to a "lice comber" or "gnats on dung."

The third section examines the enduring tension between mortality and the human need to memorialize: "The priest has passed into his tomb. / The stone has taken up his spirit!" The speaker compares the permanence of granite to the fleeting nature of human life, which "has been fifty times / through the guts of oxen." This vivid image highlights the cyclical and material nature of existence, emphasizing the contrast between the durability of stone and the transience of flesh. The inscription on the sarcophagus reflects on the varying legacies people leave behind, ranging from brief impacts to contributions lasting "a thousand years." The speaker cynically concludes: "Judge then of love!" This statement invites reflection on the value of human connections and ambitions in the face of inevitable decay.

The fourth section adopts the voice of the deceased, who declares: "My flesh is turned to stone. I / have endured my summer." This voice blends pride and vulnerability, expressing both satisfaction in having transcended physical decay and a longing for recognition and touch: "Lay your hands / upon the granite as a lover lays his / hand upon the thigh." The sensual imagery contrasts with the coldness of stone, emphasizing the paradox of seeking vitality in death. The speaker’s declaration, "I arrogant against death!" reflects the universal human desire to defy mortality and achieve significance, even as they acknowledge the futility of such aspirations.

The final section brings the poem back to the present, where the speaker concludes with an affirmation of life’s fleeting pleasures: "But it is five o'clock. Come! / Life is good -- enjoy it!" The shift in tone is striking, moving from existential reflections to a celebratory embrace of the moment. The speaker’s attention to the "northern scenery," "tired people," and "lights on the water" grounds the poem in the immediate, contrasting with the grandeur of ancient Egypt. The final lines, likening the world to "a girl that has come upon a lover," evoke youthful vitality and renewal, suggesting that life’s beauty lies in its impermanence.

Structurally, "History" employs fragmented sections and free verse, reflecting the modernist ethos of breaking traditional poetic forms to capture the complexity of contemporary experience. The use of varied perspectives, from modern city life to ancient tombs, creates a dynamic interplay between past and present. Williams’s use of sensory imagery, from the "smell of gas" to the "delicately veined basins," immerses the reader in the physicality of history while exploring its abstract implications.

Thematically, the poem critiques humanity’s obsession with permanence and legacy, highlighting the tension between our fleeting nature and the grand structures we build to defy it. At the same time, it celebrates the vitality of life in its immediacy, suggesting that true meaning lies not in monuments or inscriptions but in the transient beauty of lived experiences.

"History" is a profound meditation on the layers of human existence, blending critique and celebration. Williams’s ability to juxtapose ancient and modern, permanence and impermanence, creates a rich tapestry that invites readers to reflect on their place within the continuum of time. Through its fragmented structure and vivid imagery, the poem captures the complexity and poignancy of being human in a world shaped by both decay and renewal.

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