Poetry Explorer


Classic and Contemporary Poetry


PORTRAIT OF A LADY by WILLIAM CARLOS WILLIAMS

Poem Explanation Poet Analysis

First Line: YOUR THIGHS ARE APPLETREES
Last Line: I SAID PETALS FROM AN APPLETREE.
Subject(s): PORTRAITS; WOMEN;

Your thighs are appletrees
whose blossoms touch the sky.
Which sky? The sky
where Watteau hung a lady's
slipper. Your knees
are a southern breeze -- or
a gust of snow. Agh! what
sort if man was Fragonard?
-- as if that answered
anything. Ah, yes -- below
the knees, since the tune
drops that way, it is
one of those white summer days,
the tall grass of your ankles
flickers upon the shore --
Which shore? --
the sand clings to my lips --
Which shore?
Agh, petals maybe. How
should I know?
Which shore? Which shore?
I said petals from an appletree.



Home: PoetryExplorer.net