A Poem

We haven't done a poetry reading in a while so I decided that I would do one right now! I chose "The Young Housewife" by William Carlos Williams

At ten A.M. the young housewife
moves about in negligee behind
the wooden walls of her husband's house.
I pass solitary in my car.

Then again she comes to the curb
to call the ice-man, fish-man, and stands
shy, uncorseted, tucking in
stray ends of her hair, and I compare her
to a fallen leaf.

The noiseless wheels of my car
rush with a crackling sound over
dried leaves as I bow and pass smiling.


My interpretation:
negligee- a dressing gown or robe, usually of sheer fabric and having soft, flowing lines, worn by women.
The girl is standing outside of her husband's house with wooden walls. I get the impression that she doesn't have a very good relationship with her husband. It seems like she's maybe pushed out of the way by her husband.
The man, to me, seems like he is blown away by this girl. He watches her and he doesn't want her to see him. It's almost like he is stalking her; however, I don't get a creepy vibe from it. It almost seems to me like this guy might be in love with her.
It then goes on to say that the woman is outside to call the ice-man and the fish-man. Is she in a city? Why is she alone? Why would she be on the streets to get fish? The man compares her to a 'fallen leaf'. When I think of a falling leaf, I think delicate and fragile. I can see the woman being fragile. Maybe she is going through a hard time and the man wants to help her but he is afraid to.
The man then passes the woman with his 'noiseless wheels', however, there is the 'crackling' sound of the leaves. Did the woman notice him? It then says that he bowed and smiled at her. Do they know each other? Maybe they are secret lovers?
I'm not too sure but this poem has a very mysterious tone to it. I just imagine a girl alone and a guy trying to reach out and help her; however, something is holding him back.
I really like this poem. I wonder what my classmates will say!