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Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE MAIN DRAG, by BERTON BRALEY Poet's Biography
First Line: I'm mightily fond of manhattan
Last Line: Girls!
Subject(s): New York City; Manhattan; New York, New York; The Big Apple
First Line: I'm mightily fond of manhattan
Last Line: Girls!
Subject(s): New York City; Manhattan; New York, New York; The Big Apple
I'm mightily fond of Manhattan,
I like all its hurry, its autos that scurry,
Its buildings that reach to the skies;
Its races, the Greek and the Latin,
French, Hebrew, Slavonic,
The air that's a tonic,
Its noise and its wealth and its size.
But though these may hold me with charms that enfold me
Where Gotham's activity swirls,
The chiefest of glories the town has in store is
Its treasure of airiest,
Daintiest, merriest,
Wisest and—wariest
Girls!
East, west, on the island I wander
And, river to river, I'm ever aquiver
With joy at this feminine mob;
And as I progress I grow fonder
Of gorgeous gowned ladies,
Or Mamies and Sadies
Who work at a commonplace job.
I gaze in an awed way at those upon Broadway
Or Grand Street's assemblage of pearls,
Those smartly garbed, natty, vivaciously chatty,
Deliciously prettified,
Silly or wittified,
Patently citified
Girls!
I've given the frails the once over
In Cork, Christiana,
Chicago, Havana,
In London and Paris and Rome;
But nowhere, from Pekin to Dover,
Wherever they're swarming
Are any more charming
Than those who call Gotham their home.
From Bronx to South Ferry the thoroughfares carry
A tide that in loveliness swirls
In silk, serge and satin; the Lure of Manhattan
Is made of unmissable,
Built-to-be-blissable,
Lovable, kissable
Girls!
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READY FOR THE CANNERY by BERTON BRALEY
TRANTER IN AMERICA by AUGUST KLEINZAHLER
MEETING YOU AT THE PIERS by KENNETH KOCH
FEBRUARY EVENING IN NEW YORK by DENISE LEVERTOV
ON 52ND STREET by PHILIP LEVINE
THREE POEMS FOR NEW YORK by JOSEPHINE MILES