Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THREE O'CLOCK: MORNING, by FREDERICK RIDGELY TORRENCE


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THREE O'CLOCK: MORNING, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: The jewel-blue electric flowers
Last Line: But time goes out in grey.
Subject(s): New York City; Railroads; Streets; Subways; Manhattan; New York, New York; The Big Apple; Railways; Trains; Avenues


The jewel-blue electric flowers
Are cold upon their iron trees.
Upraised, the deadly harp of rails
Whines for its interval of ease.
The stones keep all their daily speech
Buried, but can no more forget
Than would a water-vacant beach
The hour when it was wet.

A whitened few wane out like moons,
Ghastly, from some torn edge of shade;
A drowning one, a reeling one,
And one still loitering after trade.
On high the candour of the clock
Portions the dark with solemn sound.
The burden of the bitten rock
Moans up from underground.

Far down the streets a shutting door
Echoes the yesterday that fled
Among the days that should have been,
Which people cities of the dead.
The banners of the steam unfold
Upon the towers to meet the day;
The lights go out in red and gold,
But Time goes out in grey.





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