Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE GREAT MULLEN, by WILLIAM CARLOS WILLIAMS


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE GREAT MULLEN, by         Recitation by Author         Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: One leaves his leaves at home
Subject(s): Flowers


One leaves his leaves at home
One leaves his leaves at home
beomg a mullen and sends up a lighthouse
beomg a mullen and sends up a lighthouse
to peer from: I will have my way,
to peer from: I will have my way,
yellow-A mast with a lantern, ten
yellow-A mast with a lantern, ten
fifty, a hundred, smaller and smaller
fifty, a hundred, smaller and smaller
as they grow more-Liar, liar, liar!
as they grow more-Liar, liar, liar!
You come from her! I can smell djer-kiss
You come from her! I can smell djer-kiss
on your clothes. Ha! you come to me,
on your clothes. Ha! you come to me,
you, I am a point of dew on a grass-stem.
you, I am a point of dew on a grass-stem.
Why are you sending heat down on me
Why are you sending heat down on me
from your lantern?-You are cowdung, a
from your lantern?-You are cowdung, a
dead stick with the bark off. She is
dead stick with the bark off. She is
squirting on us both. She has has her
squirting on us both. She has has her
hand on you!-well?-She has defiled
hand on you!-well?-She has defiled
ME.-Your leaves are dull, thick
ME.-Your leaves are dull, thick
and hairy.-Every hair on my body will
and hairy.-Every hair on my body will
hold you off from me. You are a
hold you off from me. You are a
dungcake, birdlime on a fencerail.-
dungcake, birdlime on a fencerail.-
I love you, straight, yellow
I love you, straight, yellow
finger of God pointing to-her!
finger of God pointing to-her!
Liar, broken weed, dungcake, you have-
Liar, broken weed, dungcake, you have-
I am a cricket waving his antennae
I am a cricket waving his antennae
and you are high, grey and straight. Ha!
and you are high, grey and straight. Ha!






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