Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE DOMINANT CITY, by JOHN GOULD FLETCHER Poet's Biography First Line: It is the city of night, of drunkenness, and of dream Last Line: That has crushed and is devouring its mad dream. Subject(s): London | ||||||||
IT is the city of night, of drunkenness, and of dream. In waves that thunder on the shores of night, The streets hurl out their molten wealth of flame; Vast spendthrifts maddened with pride, drunken with praise, They squander the molten gold of sunless days. It is the city of mystery, of madness, and of desire. At the corners of the street, motionless, Blear-eyed loafers look upon the mad Leaping of lamps, the whirl of wheels, the babel of cries, Lovers walk amid them; they are sad. It is the city of silence, of hope, and hypocrisy. Now they vanish, all the wheels whirl round no more, Far behind them waits in mockery silent night. Though the darkness brings the city lust and sleep, Through the dawn there slinks death's phantom, ghastly white. It is the city that has butchered night! That has forgotten drunkenness in pain: That has crushed and is devouring its mad dream. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE WHARF ON THAMES-SIDE: WINTER DAWN by LAURENCE BINYON THE IDLER'S CALENDAR: MAY. THE LONDON SEASON by WILFRID SCAWEN BLUNT A LONDON THOROUGHFARE, 2 A.M. by AMY LOWELL SPRING WIND IN LONDON by KATHERINE MANSFIELD A BALLAD OF WHITECHAPEL by ISAAC ROSENBERG LONDON, FR. SONGS OF EXPERIENCE by WILLIAM BLAKE ARIZONA POEMS: 2. MEXICAN QUARTER by JOHN GOULD FLETCHER |
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