Read the poem.
Spring and All
by William Carlos Williams
By the road to the contagious hospital
under the surge of the blue
mottled clouds driven from the
northeast—a cold wind. Beyond, the
waste of broad, muddy fields
brown with dried weeds, standing and fallen
patches of standing water
the scattering of tall trees
All along the road the reddish
purplish, forked, upstanding, twiggy
stuff of bushes and small trees
with dead, brown leaves under them
leafless vines—
Lifeless in appearance, sluggish
dazed spring approaches—
They enter the new world naked,
cold, uncertain of all
save that they enter. All about them
the cold, familiar wind—
Now the grass, tomorrow
the stiff curl of wildcarrot leaf
One by one objects are defined—
It quickens: clarity, outline of leaf
But now the stark dignity of
entrance—Still, the profound change
has come upon them: rooted, they
grip down and begin to awaken
Part A
What is the central idea of the poem "Spring and All" by William Carlos Williams?
After a barren and desolate winter, spring slowly brings new growth and with it, hope.
Winter has ended, and spring is finally fully alive with beautiful greenery.
The way to the hospital is windy and cold and filled with lifeless trees and bushes.
The winter landscape is desolate with leafless vines and trees along the muddy road.
Question 2
Part B
Which detail from the poem best develops the central idea identified in Part A?
“Now the grass, tomorrow / the stiff curl of wildcarrot leaf”
“stuff of bushes and small trees / with dead, brown leaves under them”
“Still, the profound change / has come upon them: rooted, they / grip down and begin to awaken”
“Beyond, the / waste of broad, muddy fields / brown with dried weeds, standing and fallen”
