Poetry Question?

Question

This is Just To Say
by William Carlos Williams

I have eaten
the plums
that were in
the icebox

and which
you were probably
saving
for breakfast

Forgive me
they were delicious
so sweet
and so cold

In your opinion what is he saying? (I know the answer and I will tell you after i here your thoughts.)
What did this poem make you feel? Laughter, madness etc.

Answer 1

I love this. The voice of the poem sounds quite evil to me. That "Forgive me," doesn't sound real at all, put right before "they were delicious." The answer about rubbing someone's face in it seems right on.
So, it works as a poem about snatching a favorite food. It also works, for me, on another level, best captured by "so sweet and so cold."
Vicious.

Answer 2

Williams is one of the most straightforward, unambiguous poets in all of American literature. He's saying exactly what he seems to be saying. He found some delicious pieces of fruit in the fridge and he ate them. One of the things that makes the poem interesting is the question of who he's telling this to, and why he's bothering to tell it. Obviously, the person he's addressing is somebody with whom he shares a home. Otherwise they wouldn't be eating from the same icebox. It's somebody with whom he has a fairly intimate relationship, since he knows the other person was probably saving the plums for breakfast. It's somebody whose good opinion he cares about, since he asks for forgiveness. And it's somebody he seems to love and trust, since he believes he can win the forgiveness he seeks by explaining how irresistible the plums were and how much he enjoyed them.

Williams had a remarkable ability to summon up profound, complex relationships (sometimes between human beings, sometimes between an individual person and the natural world) while using plain, uncomplicated, unadorned language in his poems.

Answer 3

Sounds like something my little sister would say to me, except more like this: "Hey, guess what! I ate your yummy yummy (insert tasty food here)! It was so tempting, so I just gave in! I'm so sorry?" Then she would rub it in my face some more, until I get so angry that I hit her. Immediately I feel bad, more for me than her, because I'm about to get in serious trouble.

Seeing as how that whole narrative ended up, this poem made me feel angry.

Answer 4

classmate may very well be correct in his/her assessment but I had a very different take on it.

This might be way off base but . . .

He may be comparing the lady [presumably], to whom he is writing, to the plums. Outwardly she is lovely (they were delicious, so sweet) but inwardly she is cold and distant (in the icebox, and so cold). Furthermore, she is reticent to share her essence with him (saving for breakfast). The apology (forgive me) may even be to himself for continuing to love one so cold.

§

Answer 5

Sounds descriptive of a rude and careless person who took what didn't belong to him and then laughed about it without conscience.

Answer 6

thats funny. its short and blunt. not in a bad way.

it makes me think of...do something while its fresh and do it urself, cuz who knows wen someone else will act if any at all.

Answer 7

hey you sound like a cool guy

Answer 8

It is funny... I took it literally immediately.... Tell me if I was wrong....