January
William Carlos Williams
Again I reply to the triple winds
running chromatic fifths of derision
outside my window:
Play louder.
You will not succeed. I am
bound more to my sentences
the more you batter at me
to follow you.
And the wind,
as before, fingers perfectly
its derisive music.
About this poem
“January” was published in Williams’ book “Sour Grapes: a book of poems” (The Four Seas Company, 1921).
About William Carlos Williams
William Carlos Williams was born in Rutherford, N.J. His books include “Kora in Hell” (The Four Seas Company, 1920) and “Pictures from Brueghel and Other Poems” (J. Laughlin, 1962). He died in New Jersey in March of 1963.
The Academy of American Poets is a nonprofit, mission-driven organization, whose aim is to make poetry available to a wider audience. Email The Academy at poem-a-day@poets.org.
This poem is in the public domain. Distributed by King Features Syndicate.
