Maybe this is the part of the sonnet Williams held most dear. Perhaps it
inspired some of his poems,"subliminiably" as GW says.

e.g. PLAY
    "Subtle, clever brain, wiser than I am,
    by what devious means do you contrive
    to remain idle? Teach me, O master."

I can imagine a whole useless sonnet body attached to the top of these
lines. And after all a mind that is working on a sonnet would be anything
but one which is trying to be idle.
    Williams could condense until he had the message so clear and sharp that
his poems cut you like an unseen Zen knife. Then the poem follows you around
all day like those silly tunes you get in your mind and can't quit humming
to yourself.
    So why did he not or refuse to serve (whatever that means) as poet
laureate? I ask this before.

Charles

----------
>From: Tim Romano <[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: Williams on sonnet
>Date: Sun, Feb 9, 2003, 8:35 AM
>

> and the concluding couplet tends to
> invite aphoristic perspective or an emphatic closing statement.