Selected Poems (1949) by William Carlos Williams is a midcareer anthology capturing the essence of the poet’s groundbreaking work, published at the height of his influence. This collection distills Williams’ radical commitment to American vernacular and everyday imagery, featuring iconic pieces like “The Red Wheelbarrow,” “This Is Just to Say,” and “Spring and All”—poems that strip language to its bare, musical essentials while celebrating the mundane with almost clinical precision.
The 1949 edition, often tied to New Directions’ early printings, reflects Williams’ rejection of European abstraction in favor of local landscapes (Paterson’s factories, Rutherford’s backyards) and his mantra: “No ideas but in things.” The poems’ fragmented lines and conversational rhythms mirror the disjointed vitality of modern life.
A vital primer on modernist innovation, this selection cemented Williams as a bridge between Whitman’s democracy and the Beats’ raw spontaneity.
