'This Is Just to Say' from Collected Poems 1921-1931 (1934)
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- A brief apology for eating plums that someone else was saving, highlighting everyday guilt and courtesy.
- In plain terms
- Sorry I ate the plums you wanted.
- What can you take from it?
- Acknowledge small disruptions to others' plans.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What small acts disrupt others?
- How do you apologize for minor things?
Another view
It assumes the recipient cares about the plums.
More from William Carlos Williams
There's a lot of bastards out there!
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