Paterson

At the beginning of this Book, a March spring comes to Paterson the city as Paterson the man ages. Paterson considers the role of virginity in marriage. An interlude of a letter to Paterson describes the beauty of flowers, which are named in detail, and memories of nights at a friend’s house together. A verse section describes the naturalist John James Audubon’s journey through Kentucky by boat. The poet A.G. writes to thank Dr. Williams, the author, for an introduction to a book of poems.

An interlude signed G.S. describes a drunken night negotiating price with a young woman sex worker in a Spanish-speaking country. A section narrated by a man’s lover describes the physical sensation of attraction. A dated journal entry focuses on President FDR’s financial policies and the details of treasury reports. The narrator sees a woman dressed in men’s clothes on the streets of Paterson—he seeks her, though she disappears into the crowd; he says “have you read anything that I have written? / It is all for you / or the birds / or Mezz Mezzrow” (220). A prose section describes listening to the blues, especially the tenor saxophone and the vocals of Bessie Smith.