ArchivesSpace at the University of Iowa

Williams notes, "These Polycotyledonous poems are the response to a call by Ian Hamilton Finlay for a one word poem anthology issue of his magazine Poor Old Tired Horse. Being a mountaineer I have a garrulous landscape nature that feeds on Brucknerian lengths, but also being a mountaineer, I have an exactly contrary nature that yearns to be as laconic as Webern or a pebble. Here the titles work as hinges to spring what follows loose. There are no pictures here in the pure concrete way of, for instance Ian Hamilton Finlay. But the ear is on the prowl, prying into the substance of words and finding there in the syllables, while one eye watches and one wanders a bit bemused. The dedication to Francis Poulenc is homage for his beautiful simplicities. He teaches that the common is not common at all. Man your dictionaries accordingly." -- Source of annotation: Marvin or Ruth Sackner.

Redon's name is broken up to form a poem. -- Source of annotation: Marvin or Ruth Sackner.

Two semi-realistic prints on gold foil and two on silver foil by Furnival are laid into the book. Comments on each of his poems are placed by Williams at the bottom of each page. -- Source of annotation: Marvin or Ruth Sackner.