Tommy Saketharam 1204

On “Willow Poem”

William Carlos Williams’ poem “Willow Poem” uses enjambment and end-stopped

lines to reinforce the sense of motion of leaves of the Willow tree. Within the poem,

Williams creates an association between sadness, loneliness and depression and the willow

tree. Williams also relates the reluctance of the leaves from falling into the water or on the

ground to holding on to pain, from which the representation of trees of sadness originates.

The time period within this poem is Fall, which usually represents depreciation or death. The

text says that “The leaves cling and grow paler, /swing and grow paler/over the swirling

waters of the river” (6-8). In the former sentence of the quote, it ends with a comma, thus end

stopped line is created. The two latter sentences, on the other hand, ends without commas,

thus creating an enjambed lines. End-stopped lines reinforce the sense of stillness while

enjambment supports the motion of a particular object described in that line. The first line of

the quote states that the leaves cling to the tree, the steadiness of which is further enhanced

by the stability created by the comma. The following line states that the leaves swing; the

swinging motion of the leaves is further emphasized by the sense of motion created by

enjambment. Therefore, it is clear that Williams uses end-stopped lines and enjambment to

further express the sense of motion in the poem.