A. R. Ammons and William Carlos Williams were famous American poets of the 20th century. They were known for giving common creatures, feelings and experiences unusual depictions and embodiments. By using various devices and means of description, they give those beings and cases a new interpretation. This feature in the poets’ writing style is something that may be rather mesmerizing for both readers and aspiring writers. The following text will compare how it is done in The Bull and Pet Panther. Moreover, it will review the similarities and differences in which the creatures and emotions are transformed throughout the works.
In these two poems, Ammons and Williams place creatures at the forefront of their works. With the help of those poems, the writers aim at conveying and depicting different emotions, while mentioning some of the most common traits that the beings have. This characteristic is what helps demonstrate both the message and the living things in a nuanced and unusual way, providing the readers with a more complex portrayal of both. Another notable feature is how the two poems depict a broad range of emotions, as the storyline in them progresses. Thus, Ammons and Williams not only bring new life to basic things and actions, but also discuss various feelings by depicting the two as well.
One of the notable similarities is that in both works, the poets use non-humans to convey various emotions. In Pet Panther, Ammons experiences many of them, ranging from anxiety “undistracted by verbal toys, it will pommel the heart frantic” and recklessness “it will if idle make trouble where there was no harm” (Ammons 1263). Meanwhile, Williams uses the depiction of typical behavioural traits of a bull to embody the feelings of bliss and carelessness “he lives alone, nozzles the sweet grass gingerly to pass the time away” (Williams 946). Thus, as seen in the examples, with the help of simply depicting animal behaviour, feelings are brought to life in a more peculiar, but mesmerizing way.
One of the differences in how the poets convey those feelings is easy to notice. Aside from the panther in Ammons poem simply being a means of embodying the author’s attention, his style feels livelier than that of Williams. Ammons uses a broad range of the animal’s actions to depict that trait “it will pounce on a stalled riddle and wrestle the mind numb” (Ammons 1263). This means of description makes the poem feel more energetic and alluring. Meanwhile, Williams’ flow is more relaxed, as the work balances the depiction of the animal’s movements, the environment and its appearance “then stays with half-closed eyes, Olympian commentary on the bright passage of days” (Williams 946). Nonetheless, these features work as an advantage, perfectly conveying the necessary emotions.
In conclusion, the ways in which Ammons and Williams transform emotion and behaviour are rather unusual. In The Bull and Pet Panther, the poets depict a broad range of emotions with the help of describing the animals’ actions. However, both works have different means of conveying those feelings, as Williams’ work has a more relaxed mood, while the plotline in Ammons’ Pet Panther is rather energetic and lively throughout its storyline. As strange as it may seem, these features work to the advantage of the poems, as the readers will easily identify the emotions that the writers were trying to describe. Thus, they will be drawn to those works and notice a new way of conveying feelings through something seemingly ordinary.
Works Cited
Ammons, Archibald Randolph, (1983) Pet Panther
Williams, William Carlos, (1934) The Bull