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William Carlos Williams

The recordings were originally compiled and published from
Keele University, England, by Dr. Richard Swigg in 1992 and 1993.
PennSound gratefully acknowledges the scholarship and editing
of Dr. Swigg in making this Williams sound archive available.
1. Reading for the National Council of Teachers of English and Columbia University Press Contemporary Poets
series. January 9, 1942
1. The Red Wheelbarrow (0:11):
MP3
2. Tract (2:34):
MP3
3. The Defective Record (0:28):
MP3
4. To a Poor Old Woman (0:27):
MP3
5. A Coronal (0:40):
MP3
6. To Elsie (1:45):
MP3
7. The Wind Increases (0:27):
MP3
8. Classic Scene (0:28):
MP3
Complete Recording (7:04)
2. Reading for The Library of Congress Recording Laboratory. May 5, 1945
1. Sonnet 1909 (Martin and Katherine) (0:54): MP3
2. Paterson: The Falls (1:44): MP3
3. Peace on Earth (0:46): MP3
4. Postlude (1:01): MP3
5. Pastoral (When I was younger) (0:41):
6. Pastoral (The little sparrows) (0:44): MP3
8. Portrait of a Woman in Bed (1:12): MP3
9. Sympathetic Portrait of a Child (0:48): MP3
10. Spring Strains (1:09): MP3
11. Dedication for a Plot of Ground (incomplete) (1:34): MP3
12. Love Song (I lie here thinking of you) (0:35): MP3
13. Overture to a Dance of Locomotives (1:53): MP3
14. Complaint (0:42): MP3
15. The Cold Night (0:42): MP3
16. Primrose (1:04): MP3
17. Queen-Anne's-Lace (0:55): MP3
18. To a Friend Concerning Several Ladies (1:57): MP3
19. Youth and Beauty (0:27): MP3
20. The Thinker (0:34): MP3
21. The Nightingales (0:21): MP3
22. Widow's Lament in Springtime (0:55): MP3
23. Light Hearted William (0:31): MP3
24. Spring and All (1:04): MP3
25. The Farmer (0:40): MP3
26. The Eyeglasses (0:52): MP3
27. Shoot it Jimmy! (0:26): MP3
28. To Elsie (1:50): MP3
29. The Red Wheelbarrow (0:15): MP3
30. Rigamarole (0:57): MP3
31. It is a Living Coral (1:33): MP3
32. The Bull (0:51): MP3
33. The Botticellian Trees (0:46): MP3
34. Flowers by the Sea (0:32): MP3
35. The Yachts (2:12): MP3
36. The Term (0:25): MP3
37. A Sort of a Song (0:34): MP3
38. The Dance (In Brueghel's great picture) (0:38): MP3
39. Burning the Christmas Greens (2:30): MP3
40. In Sisterly Fashion (0:26): MP3
41. The World Narrowed to a Point (0:24): MP3
42. The Hounded Lovers (0:43): MP3
43. The Cure (0:40): MP3
44. The Rose (The stillness of the rose) (0:27): MP3
45. Perfection (0:32): MP3
46. The Last Turn (0:47): MP3
47. The Aftermath (0:39): MP3
48. The Yellow Chimney (0:52): MP3
49. Raleigh Was Right (0:53):MP3
50. A Night in June (12:55):MP3
Complete
Recording (57:37)
3. Reading at NBC Studios, Washington DC, for the Library of Congress Recording Laboratory. October
18, 1947
1. The Semblables (1:59): MP3
2. The Catholic Bells (1:44): MP3
3. Perpetuum Mobile: The City (3:21): MP3
4. Paterson II iii: (excerpt) 'Look for the nul' to 'Alone, watching the May moon above the/trees' (2:45): MP3
5. Paterson I i: (excerpt) 'Paterson lies in the valley under the Passaic falls' to 'after a long flight to his cote'
(7:42):
MP3
6. Paterson I iii: (excerpt) 'There is no direction' to 'it drives in among the rocks fitfully' (10:40): MP3
Complete
Recording (28:14)
4. Reading for a Columbia Records 78 rpm disc in the Series "Pleasure Dome: an audible anthology of modern
poetry read by its creators," ed. by Lloyd Frankenberg. May 20, 1949
1. The Young Housewife (0:35): MP3
2. The Bull (0:46): MP3
3. Poem ('As the cat') (0:15): MP3
4. Lear (1:18): MP3
5. The Dance ('In Brueghel's great picture') (0:38): MP3
6. El Hombre (0:10) : MP3
Complete Recording (3:45)
5. Reading recorded by Richard Wirtz Emerson, 9 Ridge Road, Rutherford, NJ. Probably broadcast in Voices,
WOSU, Columbus. October 7, 1950
1. Choral: The Pink Church (3:04): MP3
2. Portrait of a Lady (0:45): MP3
3. Tract (2:50): MP3
4. Pastoral (0:40): MP3
5. A Poem for Norman Macleod (0:39): MP3
6. To Waken an Old Lady (0:32): MP3
7. The Red Wheelbarrow (0:16): MP3
8. This is Just to Say (0:20): MP3
9. The Bull (0:56): MP3
10. Perpetuum Mobile: The City (2:58): MP3
11. Poem ('As the cat') (0:43): MP3
12. Danse Russe (0:43): MP3
13. The Widow's Lament in Springtime (1:01): MP3
14. The Dance ('In Brueghel's great picture') (0:40): MP3
15. Lear (1:26): MP3
16. Mama (0:27): MP3
17. New Mexico (0:28): MP3
18. The Lion (1:20): MP3
19. St Francis Einstein of the Daffodils (1:41): MP3
Complete Recording (21:27)
6. Reading and Commentary at UCLA. November 15, 1950
1. Introduction (1:47): MP3
2. In Sisterly Fashion (0:34):
MP3
3. The Dance ('In Brueghel's great picture') (0:57):
MP3
4. Franklin Square (0:49): MP3
5. Raleigh Was Right (1:01): MP3
6. Commentary (1:15): MP3
7. At the Faucet of June (1:18): MP3
8. The Universality of Things (0:54): MP3
9. Rigamarole (1:14):
MP3
10. To Elsie (2:14):
MP3
11. Spring and All (1:52): MP3
12. The Pot of Flowers (0:49): MP3
13. Commentary (3:14): MP3
14. It is a Living Coral (2:45):
MP3
15. All the Fancy Things (0:37): MP3
16. Commentary (6:06): MP3
17. Paterson: The Falls (1:58): MP3
18. Commentary (3:06): MP3
19. Poem ('As the cat') (0:27): MP3
20. Between Walls (0:17):
MP3
21. Conclusion (3:24): MP3
Complete Recording (36:53)
7. Reading and Commentary recorded by Eyvind Earle at his home in Hillview Park Avenue, Van Nuys, San Fernando Valley,
California. November 16, 1950
1. In Sisterly Fashion (0:30): MP3
2. Tract (3:16): MP3
3. Smell! (1:00): MP3
4. Flowers by the Sea (0:40): MP3
5. The Poor (0:53): MP3
6. To Elsie (2:20): MP3
7. This is Just to Say (0:39): MP3
8. Impromptu: The Suckers (4:24): MP3
9. All the Fancy Things (0:37): MP3
10. It is a Living Coral (1:47): MP3
11. Young Sycamore (0:44): MP3
12. The Cod Head (0:57): MP3
13. The Bull (1:19): MP3
14. Poem ('As the cat') (0:17): MP3
15. Perpetuum Mobile: The City (3:25): MP3
16. The Widow's Lament in Springtime (1:10): MP3
17. Arrival (0:20): MP3
18. Great Mullen (1:17): MP3
19. Queen-Anne's-Lace (0:54): MP3
20. Overture to a Dance of Locomotives (incomplete) (0:41): MP3
Complete Recording (27:51)
8. Interview on The Mary Margaret McBride Show, WJZ Radio. December 4, 1950
1. The Red Wheelbarrow (0:08): MP3
2. A Black Black Cloud (0:07): MP3
Complete Recording (25:03)
9. Interview with John W. Gerber.
Recorded by John W. Gerber at 9 Ridge Road, Rutherford, New Jersey in June 1950. Broadcast January 13, 1951 by either
WNBC or WNYC.
1. A Black Black Cloud (0:05): MP3
2. Danse Russe (0:41): MP3
3. This is Just to Say (0:14): MP3
4. Ol' Bunk's Band (0:46): MP3
5. Portrait of a Lady (0:42): MP3
6. El Hombre (0:13): MP3
Complete Recording (48:10)
10. Speech on presenting the Russell Loines Award for Poetry to John Crowe Ransom, National Institute of
Arts and Letters, New York. May 25, 1951
Complete Recording (3:21)
11. Reading and Commentary recorded by Kenneth Burke at his home in Andover, NJ. June 21, 1951
1. The Desert Music (13:09): MP3
2. The Cod Head (incomplete) (0:55): MP3
3. Burning the Christmas Greens (2:41): MP3
4. A Sort of a Song (0:31): MP3
5. Paterson I iii (excerpt): 'How Strange you are, you idiot!' to
'his mind drinks of desire' (1:53): MP3
6. Tract (2:58): MP3
7. Apres le Bain (0:20): MP3
8. Spring is Here Again, Sir (1:13): MP3
9. May 1st Tomorrow (1:15): MP3
Complete Recording (27:18)
12. Interview on The Mary Margaret McBride Show, WABC Radio.
September 26, 1951
1. A Black Black Cloud (0:07):
MP3
Complete Recording (26:59)
13. Reading and Commentary at Harvard University. December 4, 1951
1. Commentary (1:46): MP3
2. A Marriage Ritual (1:39): MP3
3. Burning the Christmas Greens (2:36): MP3
4. The Visit (3:08): MP3
5. The Lion (1:15): MP3
6. Spring and All (2:01): MP3
7. This is Just to Say (two readings) (1:46): MP3
8. On Gay Wallpaper (0:45): MP3
9. Flowers by the Sea (0:51): MP3
10. To a Poor Old Woman (0:36): MP3
11. The Yachts (3:02): MP3
12. History (6:05): MP3
13. Virtue (1:00): MP3
14. Smell! (1:05): MP3
15. Struggle of Wings (incomplete) (2:33): MP3
16. To Greet a Letter-Carrier (0:20): MP3
17. At the Bar (0:19): MP3
18. These (1:37): MP3
19. Perfection (0:49): MP3
20. Fertile (0:21): MP3
21. Chanson (1:30): MP3
22. Design for November (0:52): MP3
23. Commentary (2:05): MP3
24. Picture of a Nude in a Machine Shop (0:52): MP3
25. The Hurricane (0:26): MP3
26. Venus over the Desert (1:07): MP3
27. The Birth of Venus (4:16): MP3
Complete Recording (45:52)
14. Paper read at the symposium "Will the Creative Arts Thrive or Degenerate during the Next Fifty
Years?" Niagara Frontier Convocation, University of Buffalo.
December 7, 1951
Complete Recording (12:59)
15. Reading and Commentary at Princeton University. March 19, 1952
1. Introduction (9:04): MP3
2. Portrait of a Lady (0:56): MP3
3. El Hombre (0:27): MP3
4. Tract (3:19): MP3
5. Pastoral ('The little sparrow') (1:07): MP3
6. Smell! (1:05): MP3
7. Queen-Anne's-Lace (1:27): MP3
8. Great Mullen (1:40): MP3
9. Waiting (1:26): MP3
10. The Hunter (0:35): MP3
11. Arrival (0:26): MP3
12. The Widow's Lament in Springtime (1:07): MP3
13. Commentary (1:40): MP3
14. To Elsie (2:16): MP3
15. The Red Wheelbarrow (1:42): MP3
16. This is Just to Say (0:46): MP3
17. Poem ('As the cat') (1:47): MP3
18. Flowers by the Sea (0:53): MP3
19. To a Poor Old Woman (0:30): MP3
20. The Catholic Bells (1:46): MP3
21. The Sea-Elephant (1:52): MP3
22. Commentary (1:39): MP3
23. A Unison (2:42): MP3
25. Commentary (1:50): MP3
24. The Desert Music (15:33): MP3
Complete Recording (58:43)
16. At the Conference of the Indiana College English Association,
Hanover College, Indiana. May 16, 1952
Morning Address
Smell! (1:18):
MP3
Paterson II iii (excerpt): "Look for the nul" to "endless and indestructible": (3:28):
MP3
Complete Morning Address - Lecture, Reading, Commentary (35:06)
Evening Address
1. Portent (0:55): MP3
2. The Botticellian Trees (1:34): MP3
3. Flowers by the Sea (1:00): MP3
4. Commentary (1:45): MP3
5. To a Mexican Pig- Bank (two readings) (1:37): MP3
6. To a Poor Old Woman (1:18): MP3
7. Pastoral ('When I was younger') (1:22): MP3
8. To Elsie (2:56): MP3
9. On Gay Wallpaper (1:39): MP3
Complete
Evening Address - Reading and Commentary (18:04)
17. Reading and Commentary at the 92nd Street YM-YWHA Poetry Center, New York. January 27, 1954
1. A Sort of Song (0:50): MP3
2. Burning the Christmas Greens (3:51): MP3
3. A Vision of Labor: 1931 (3:54): MP3
4. The Yellow Chimney (0:54): MP3
5. Franklin Square (two readings) (1:46): MP3
6. Labrador (1:11): MP3
7. The Apparition (1:10): MP3
8. The Maneuver (0:31): MP3
9. The Horse (0:44): MP3
10. The Act (1:10): MP3
11. Seafarer (1:16): MP3
12. The Three Graces (1:13): MP3
13. Commentary (1:51): MP3
14. Paterson: Episode 17 (6:18): MP3
15. Commentary (1:44): MP3
16. Ol' Bunk's Band (1:26): MP3
17. A Unison (3:13): MP3
18. The Descent (2:30): MP3
19. The Yellow Flower (5:02): MP3
20. The Host (5:06): MP3
21. Spring and All (1:50): MP3
22. The Orchestra (4:21): MP3
23. Between Walls (0:38): MP3
24. On Gay Wallpaper (1:45): MP3
25. Fish (6:05): MP3
Complete Recording (1:15:46)
18. Interview on The Mary Margaret McBride Show, WABC Radio.
March 25, 1954
1. A Black Black Cloud (0:07): MP3
2. The Host (3:34): MP3
3. The Orchestra (3:36): MP3
Complete Recording (10:24)
19. Interview on the NBC radio series Anthology.
March 26, 1954
1. The Descent (1:46): MP3
2. The Host (3:25): MP3
3. The Orchestra (3:33): MP3
Complete Recording (21:01)
20. Talk on the NBC radio series Collector's Item. March 28, 1954
Complete Recording (5:03)
21. Reading at his home in Rutherford, NJ. June 6, 1954
1. The Descent (1:40): MP3
2. To Daphne and Virginia (5:10): MP3
3. The Orchestra (3:48): MP3
4. For Eleanor and Bill Monahan (3:57): MP3
5. The Yellow Flower (3:03): MP3
6. The Host (3:30): MP3
7. Of Asphodel, That Greeny Flower I (excerpt):
'Of Asphodel, that greeny flower' to
'to sing to you'; 'My heart rouses' to end of Book I (0:55): MP3
8. The Botticellian Trees (0:57): MP3
9. Flowers by the Sea (0:30): MP3
10. The Yachts (3:06): MP3
11. The Catholic Bells (2:11): MP3
12. Smell! (1:10): MP3
13. Fish (5:06): MP3
14. Primrose (1:28): MP3
15. To Elsie (2:30): MP3
16. Between Walls (0:15): MP3
17. On Gay Wallpaper (0:47): MP3
18. The Red Lily (1:08): MP3
19. Seafarer (1:03): MP3
Complete
Reading (43:12)
22. Interview with Francis Mason on Voice of America, NBC Radio. June 18, 1954
Reads "The Descent"
Complete Recording (7:20)
23. Reading for the Voice of America, NBC Radio. 1954
1. Poem ('As the cat') (0:16): MP3
2. The Young Housewife (0:40): MP3
3. Light Hearted William (0:37): MP3
4. The Dance ('In Brueghel's great picture') (0:42): MP3
5. The Bull (0:55): MP3
6. The Yachts (2:45): MP3
Complete Reading (5:59)
24. Lecture: "The Modern Poem," Oreon E. Scott symposium, "The
Writer and His Public,"
Washington University in St. Louis. May 8, 1955
Complete Recording (57:02)
25. Reading and Commentary at the University of California, Berkeley. May 19, 1955
1. Spring and All (1:28): MP3
2. Commentary (0:36): MP3
3. The Pot of Flowers (0:41): MP3
4. Commentary (1:08): MP3
5. Rain (2:22): MP3
6. The Botticellian Trees (1:19): MP3
7. Commentary (0:57): MP3
8. To a Mexican Pig-Bank (two readings) (0:58): MP3
9. To a Poor Old Woman (0:46): MP3
10. Commentary (0:36): MP3
11. The Catholic Bells (2:05): MP3
12. A Poem for Norman Macleod (1:33): MP3
13. Danse Russe (1:34): MP3
14. The Late Singer (0:40): MP3
15. Commentary (1:04): MP3
16. At the Faucet of June (1:14): MP3
17. The Avenue of Poplar (1:09): MP3
18. The Sun (1:26): MP3
19. A Sort of a Song (0:34): MP3
20. Commentary (0:38): MP3
21. The Dance ('In Brueghel's great picture') (0:49): MP3
22. Commentary (0:35): MP3
23. The Gentle Rejoinder (0:51): MP3
24. Seafarer (0:56): MP3
25. Commentary (0:44): MP3
26. May 1st Tomorrow (1:32): MP3
27. A Unison (2:51): MP3
28. Commentary (4:35): MP3
29. The Descent (1:51): MP3
30. To Daphne and Virginia (4:55): MP3
31. The Orchestra (3:37): MP3
32. Asphodel, That Greeny Flower I (excerpt): 'I speak in figures' to end of book I (3:22): MP3
Complete Recording (50:59)
26. Reading and Commentary at the University of California,
Santa Barbara. June 1, 1955
1. Seafarer (1:02): MP3
2. A Unison (2:57): MP3
3. Commentary (5:49): MP3
4. The Descent (1:38): MP3
5. To Daphne and Virginia (5:31): MP3
6. The Orchestra (3:34): MP3
7. Asphodel, That Greeny Flower I (excerpt): 'I speak in figures' to end of book I (3:16): MP3
8. Commentary (3:32): MP3
8. The Ivy Crown (3:42): MP3
9. Asphodel, That Greeny Flower: Coda (5:09): MP3
Complete Recording (38:14)
27. Reading and Commentary at UCLA.
May 1955
1. Introduction (5:42): MP3
2. The Botticellian Trees (0:59): MP3
3. Commentary (1:01): MP3
4. Flowers by the Sea (0:32): MP3
5. Commentary (1:25): MP3
6. Primrose (2:29): MP3
7. Commentary (1:35): MP3
8. Spring and All (1:31): MP3
9. Commentary (1:22): MP3
10. Commentary (0:56): MP3
11. To Elsie (2:25): MP3
12. Commentary (1:09): MP3
13. On Gay Wallpaper (0:58): MP3
14. Commentary (0:58): MP3
15. The Red Lily (1:13): MP3
16. Commentary (2:02): MP3
17. The Sun (1:34): MP3
18. Commentary (0:42): MP3
19. A Sort of a Song (0:38): MP3
20. Seafarer (1:31): MP3
21. Commentary (2:40): MP3
22. May 1st Tomorrow (2:06): MP3
23. A Unison (2:56): MP3
24. Commentary (2:03): MP3
25. The Sea-Elephant (2:15): MP3
26. Commentary (7:04): MP3
27. The Descent (1:47): MP3
28. Commentary (0:39): MP3
29. To Daphne and Virginia (4:49): MP3
30. Commentary (0:47): MP3
31. The Orchestra (3:36): MP3
32. Commentary (3:22): MP3
33. Shadows (3:40): MP3
34. Asphodel, that Greeny Flower: Coda (6:06): MP3
Complete Recording (1:15:57)
28. Reading and Commentary recorded by Eyvind Earle at his
home in Hillview Park Ave., San Fernando Valley, Van Nuys, California. May 1955
1. Peace on Earth (0:46): MP3
2. The Botticellian Trees (1:01): MP3
3. Commentary (0:28): MP3
4. Flowers by the Sea (0:43): MP3
5. Commentary (0:42): MP3
6. Spring and All (1:27): MP3
7. On Gay Wallpaper (0:49): MP3
8. Commentary (0:50): MP3
9. Primrose (1:24): MP3
10. The Red Lily (1:14): MP3
11. The Sun (1:34): MP3
12. A Sort of a Song (0:43): MP3
13. May 1st Tomorrow (1:27): MP3
14. A Unison (2:41): MP3
15. Commentary (1:54): MP3
16. The Descent (2:33): MP3
17. To Daphne and Virginia (5:25): MP3
18. The Orchestra (3:39): MP3
19. The Yellow Flower (2:51): MP3
20. The Host (3:34): MP3
21. The Mental Hospital Garden (4:50): MP3
22. Asphodel, That Greeny Flower I (excerpt): 'I speak in figures' to end of book I (3:56): MP3
23. The Ivy Crown (3:16): MP3
24. Shadows (3:06): MP3
25. Asphodel, That Greeny Flower: Coda (excerpt): 'Inseparable from the fire' to 'which John Donne',"where the
recording breaks off (4:23): MP3
Complete Recording (59:03)
29. Interview on "A Tribute to Ezra Pound,"
broadcast by WYBC, Yale University Radio. December 5, 1955
Complete Recording (1:04:24)
30. Reading and Commentary at the University of Puerto Rico. April 1956
Reads "Asphodel I"
Complete Recording (14:07)
31. Interview with John Wingate on Nightbeat, WABD television. September 4, 1957
Complete Recording (24:03)
32. Interviews with Walter Sutton. Recorded October 11 & 20, November 3 & 15,
1960
Complete Recording (1:59:38)
33. Interviews with Stanley Koehler. March 29 & 30, 1962
1. The Descent (excerpt) (0:22): MP3
2. The Orchestra (excerpt) (0:06): MP3
.
Complete Recording (31:52)
SINGLES
"This Is Just to
Say"
(1) read in Rutherford, NJ, June 1950 MP3
(1:18)
(2) read in Rutherford, NJ, August 1950 MP3
(0:17)
(3)
read in Van Nuys, Calif., November 16, 1950 MP3
(0:23)
(4)
read at Harvard University, December 4, 1951 MP3
(1:14)
(5)
read at Princeton University, March 19, 1952 MP3
(0:41)
text (via poets.org)
"Between Walls"
(1) read at UCLA, November 15, 1950 MP3
(0:12)
(2) read at the 92nd Street YM-YWHA Poetry Center, New York MP3
(0:22)
(3) read at Williams' home in Rutherford, NJ MP3
(0:18)
text
Special thanks to Jonathan Gorman and Danny Snelson for their assistance in segmenting these recordings, as well as
Mollie
Braverman and Chris Yeager, who re-coded the Williams page.
These sound recordings are being made available
for noncommercial and educational use only. © 2006
by the estates of William Eric Williams and Paul H. Williams.
Used by permission of the heirs of William Carlos Williams and New
Directions Publishing Corp., agent for the heirs. Distributed
by PennSound.
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