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