Derek French

2/8/15

Dr. Price

Creative Writing

The Work of William Stafford

Modern poetry is one of the most beautiful forms of art. Of the poets who write it,

William Stafford embodies the qualities of modern poetry as well as anyone. The lack of form

but abundance of imagery is one of the key aspects. Some contemporary poets throw rhyme

scheme out the window. There is less seriousness than poetry written in the past; it seems as

though poems now are written by the common man. Stanfords poems fit these qualifications.

His poems hit a wide variety of ideas and topics. The reader can enter his mind through the

simplicity and plainness of his words. William Stafford makes his poetry beautiful and thought-

provoking using many tools such as symbolism, imagery and structure.

Like any good poet, Stanford makes terrific use of symbolism. For example, in his

poem Ask Me, the frozen river is symbolic of himself. He invites the reader to ask him deep

and invasive questions when the river has frozen. He replies by noting a frozen river; the top is

still ice, but underneath the water flows. This is a symbol for how he would respond to these

questions. It can be perceived many different ways, which is the beauty of symbolism. The

reader could interpret that as Stafford simply not replying, as the river is frozen on top. Also, it

could mean that he would answer, but the meaning wouldnt come across, much like the water

runs but is hidden by ice. Symbolism can be this vague, but other times it can be simple and

clear. A clear example can be found in Staffords poem, Being Eighty. The line reads, No big
deal, anyone could do it, just count by tens and youre there. He doesnt directly say it,

because it doesnt need to be said. Stafford is obviously referring to how quickly time can seem

to go. By counting ten, twenty, thirty and so on, it is easy to focus on big milestones while

everything else flies by. Looking back and recalling everything also gives the illusion of time

flying even faster. The second half of the poem analyzes this; youre there, perched on the

little island with the cake on it, ready to sing all those years again and untie the ribbons. The

island with cake is symbolic for the attention one receives on their birthday. You perch on that

island every year as loved ones watch you eat your birthday cake and open presents. The way

Stafford says it, birthdays are special, but they become routine. Before you know it, you are

eighty years old. Symbolism turns this poem into an insightful declaration.

Another tool beautifully utilized by Stafford is imagery. Imagery refers to words that

engage human senses to paint a picture in the mind of the reader. It is one of the most

commonly used tools to turn black ink into actual vivid ideas. In his poem, Earth Dweller,

Stafford depicts a simple glorious landscape. By using the phrase, It was the barn, and the

shed, and the windmill, the reader can see a farm-like setting. When he later says, Let the sun

casually rise and set, a golden sunrise falls across this painting in the readers mind. Another

brilliant example of imagery is found in How These Words Happened. Stafford writes, In

winter, in the dark hours in stillness, they jostled. He depicts a cool and pitch black setting.

Disturbing this peace, words jostle, radically changing the image. This imagery gives life to

words. Another of Staffords poems dripping with imagery is Impression. This poem is actually

two poems combined, a conversation between Stafford and his poetic friend. The poems are

incredibly short, but the words in them are so descriptive. His friend writes, A paperclip-
bookmark left in a book too long unread embossed itself two pages deep. It is your poem that

centers this impression. Simply reading these sentences puts the paperclip right in front of the

readers face. The words embossed and impression are so minute yet fantastic details. He

captured the tiny indent left on a page from leaving a paperclip on it, and the effect is

astounding. Stafford writes back, Anyone perusing there will find that little loop of wire

gouging some impressive line. He bluntly describes what everyone knows a paperclip looks

like, but he makes it seem so fascinating. He is impressed with what a piece of metal can do,

and makes readers care about a paper clip. Imagery has immense power in poems, and is the

main reason readers see color.

Sometimes, the most seemingly basic aspects of a poem can define it the most.

Structure and word choice can do just that. William Stafford writes his poems in free verse,

meaning there is no rhyme scheme or rhythmic structure. However, the breaks he puts in his

lines give meaning. Without preconceived molds for poems, Stafford is free to put emphasis

wherever it is deserved. In his poem, Climbing Along the River, every line holds a dramatic

break. Willows never forget how it feels, to be young. Even the upper end of the river,

believes in the ocean. The breaks are dramatic pauses, but they do more than commas can.

They are free. They specifically point out where the importance lies. Another basic and

observable aspect of poetry is word choice. The right words are needed to say the right thing;

even changing one word can make the whole idea different. To see the importance and impact

of words, examine Staffords poem, Climbing Along the River. In the lines, Exactly at

midnight, yesterday sighs away, the pressure changes in the readers mouth. Exactly at

midnight is so tense. The word exact makes it seem so sharp. Then, the break in the line acts
as a breath. The space is written so small, but in the minds of readers it is an eternity. Finally,

the silence is complimented with the next line, yesterday sighs away. Yesterday is a

reflective word, easing the mind. Sigh is relaxing and meditative. Stafford makes the two lines

together flow, rising and falling while the reader has no idea anything is happening.

Everyone has read the definitions of all the basic poetic devices such as metaphors,

similes and personification. However, a good poet can seamlessly combine all of them without

the reader noticing it. William Stafford is a brilliant poet for doing so. All of his poems are rather

concise, leaving a sweet taste. They are generally hopeful and always insightful. He uses the

aforementioned literary devices, mixed with these ideas, to get his ideas across in a way

reserved for the better modern poets.