Comparing Two Versions Of William Carlos Williams's Poem

The two versions of the poem are very similar yet they have different meanings. With only changing a few words, William Carlos Williams gives the poem a new meaning. I think this shows that just by ommiting one word, it can make a whole difference. However version 2 portrays imagism in a better way. Version 1 narrates a woman sitting near a window with a small little child. The woman has tears running down her face. The child seems to be her baby, who may be stealing her. The true meaning of the theft is rather unclear. It is not directly stated. Perhaps the baby is taking away her youth, her time, or maybe her happiness. The child however is not aware of this robbery and continues to live with naiveness. This is portrayed by the child simply rubbing their nose. …show more content…
It doesn't give any open interpretation. Everything is clearly stated. The woman again is sitting by the window crying with the child on her lap. This version however doesn't state the child's robbery. That small fact omitted might change the whole meaning of the poem. One can assume that in this poem the woman loves the child. She might be sad because the child's father left. I believe this because the child has his nose pressed on the window. In any case, I would assume the child has no negative connotation in this version. To conclude I believe that version 2 portrays imagism in a better way. It is shorter and more straightforward. William Carlos Williams uses the exact words in this version. Nothing is left open for interpretation, except the reason why the woman is crying. However version 1 leaves a much bigger doubt: What theft is Williams referring