Paterson (poem) caught Williams' attention for its use, with a technical skill that seemed to rival Pound's in "The Cantos", of such diverse and seemingly prosaic materials as notes from a congressional investigation, an X-ray report and a physician's testimony on cross-examination. He wrote to fellow poet Louis Zukofsky, "I've begun to think about poetic form again. So much has to be thought out and written out there before we can have any solid criticism and consequently well-grounded work here." In 1944, Williams read a poem by Byron Vazakas in "Partisan Review" that would help lead him to solutions in form and
We Wish You a Merry Christmas until we've got some We won't go until we've got some So bring some out here REFRAIN </poem> <poem> We wish you a Merry Christmas We wish you a Merry Christmas We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. REFRAIN Good tidings we bring for you and your kin, Good tidings for Christmas and a Happy New Year. Oh bring us some figgy pudding (x3) and bring it right here. REFRAIN And we won't go until we've got some (x3) so bring some out here. REFRAIN It's a season for music (x3) and a time of good