Asphodel, That Greeny Flower and Other Love Poems: That Greeny Flower

William Carlos Williams is rightly celebrated for his shorter poems, but it is the 30-odd page poem "Asphodel, That Greeny Flower" which is his masterpiece. Too many collections include only Book I of the poem, which in its entirety consists of three books and a coda and like any true work of art, can only be fully appreciated if you stand back to look at the whole. There are many beautiful lines in the first book, but without the rest of the poem to create a framework, the true beauty and significance of the poem is lost. This poem was written at the end of Williams' life, as a long poem for his wife, asking her forgiveness for his many indiscretions during their marriage. It is one of the most honest and emotionally moving poems written in the twentieth century, and structurally reflects the full development of Williams' craft. There are several other lovely, well-written poems in this collection, including The Ivy Crown and The Reawaking, but it is the title poem which makes Williams' a premiere American poet of the past century.