Adjusting to the Light: Poems

Williams ( The Boys on Their Bony Mules ) wrote rhymed, strictly metered poems long before ``new formalism'' became fashionable, and he continues this practice in his 11th volume. Reminiscent of the poets of the '40s and early '50s, he is overly concerned with the usefulness of poetry: ``a poem being an act / of language meant to hold its own exceptions, / which you therefore read with a double mind, / accepting and rejecting what you find.'' Many of the trivial pieces opt for humorous stances or endings, a slightness accentuated by their formal structure. In his more serious efforts, Williams delights in narratives and personified voices (including several in the voice of ``the young preacher''), which feel more academic than genuine. Can readers really believe a three-page poem in the voice of one stripper teaching another? A tendency toward generalized, unspecific imagery does little to increase credibility. Yet this collection is not without value, especially for less sophisticated poetry readers. While Williams often walks the precarious line between versifier and poet, he has perfected all the necessary technical aspects. (Aug.)