Spring and All

　　by William Carlos Williams

　　 By the road to the contagious hospital

　　 under the surge of the blue

　　 mottled clouds driven from the

　　 northeast-a cold wind. Beyond， the

　　 waste of broad， muddy fields

　　 brown with dried weeds， standing and fallen

　　 patches of standing water

　　 the scattering of tall trees

　　 All along the road the reddish

　　 purplish， forked， upstanding， twiggy

　　 stuff of bushes and small trees

　　 with dead， brown leaves under them

　　 leafless vines-

　　 Lifeless in appearance， sluggish

　　 dazed spring approaches-

　　 They enter the new world naked，

　　 cold， uncertain of all

　　 save that they enter. All about them

　　 the cold， familiar wind-

　　 Now the grass， tomorrow

　　 the stiff curl of wildcarrot leaf

　　 One by one objects are defined-

　　 It quickens： clarity， outline of leaf

　　 But now the stark dignity of

　　 entrance-Still， the profound change

　　 has come upon them： rooted， they

　　 grip down and begin to awaken

　　-