On Finishing "Paterson"

William Carlos Williams wrote a long poem called "Paterson" that was released in five books from 1946 to 1958. He was working on a sixth book when he died. The topic of "Paterson" is both Paterson, New Jersey, and the persona of a doctor by the same name. It is the town and the doctor. It took six weeks to read the poem, and I feel a major sense of accomplishment! I usually read or write in the morning before I go to work, and there were days when I just wanted to take the book back to the library! But I persisted. And I am glad. I have a renewed sense of William's commitment and investment in the work. I came away with the sense that he was very much ahead of his time. His work felt very contemporary in a post-modern way. I especially enjoyed the juxtaposition of news items, letters, and Williams' acute awareness of both image and music: his poetic consciousness. As for finishing "Paterson," I don't really think I am finished with it. Poems have a way of hanging around and calling out for renewed visits.