'The City In Which I Loved You' by Li-Young Lee

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And when, in the city in which I love you,
even my most excellent song goes unanswered,
andI mount the scabbed streets,
the long shouts of avenues,
and tunnel sunken night in search of you...That I negotiate fog, bituminous
rain rining like teeth into the beggar's tin,
or two men jackaling a third in some alley
weirdly lit by a couch on fire, that Idrag my extinction in search of you...Past the guarded schoolyards, the boarded-up churches, swastikaed
synagogues, defended houses of worship, pastnewspapered windows of tenements, along the violated,
the prosecuted citizenry, throughout this
storied, buttressed, scavenged, policed
city I call home, in which I am a guest...a bruise, blue
in the muscle, you
impinge upon me.
As bone hugs the ache home, so
I'm vexed to love you, your bodythe shape of returns, your hair a torso
of light, your heat
I must have, your opening
I'd eat, each moment
of that soft-finned fruit,
inverted fountain in which I don't see me.My tongue remembers your wounded flavor.
The vein in my neck
adores you. A sword
stands up between my hips,
my hidden fleece send forth its scent of human oil.The shadows under my arms,
I promise, are tender, the shadows
under my face. Do not calculate,
but come, smooth other, rough sister.
Yet, how will you know meamong the captives, my hair grown long,
my blood motley, my ways trespassed upon?
In the uproar, the confusion
of accents and inflections
how will you hear me when I open my mouth?Look for me, one of the drab population
under fissured edifices, fractured
artifices. Make my various
names flock overhead,
I will follow you.
Hew me to your beauty.Stack in me the unaccountable fire,
bring on me the iron leaf, but tenderly.
Folded one hundred times and
creased, I'll not crack.
Threshed to excellence, I'll achieve you.but in the city
in which I love you,
no one comes, no one
meets me in the brick clefts;
in the wedged dark,no finger touches me secretly, no mouth
tastes my flawless salt,
no one wakens the honey in the cells, finds the humming
in the ribs, the rich business in the recesses;
hulls clogged, I continue laden, translatedby exhaustion and time's appetite, my sleep abandoned
in bus stations and storefront stoops,
my insomnia erected under a sky
cross-hatched by wires, branches,
and black flights of rain. Lewd body of windjams me in the passageways, doors slam
like guns going off, a gun goes off, a pie plate spins
past, whizzing its thin tremolo,
a plastic bag, fat with wind, barrels by and slaps
a chain-link fence, wraps it like clung skin.In the excavated places,
I waited for you, and I did not cry out.
In the derelict rooms, my body needed you,
and there was such flight in my breast.
During the daily assaults, I called to you,and my voice pursued you,
even backward
to that other city
in which I saw a woman
squat in the streetbeside a body,
and fan with a handkerchief flies from its face.
That woman
was not me. Andthe corpselying there, lying there
so still it seemed with great effort, as though
his whole being was concentrating on the hole
in his forehead, so still
I expected he'd sit up any minute and laugh out loud:that man was not me;
his wound was his, his death not mine.
and the soldierwho fired the shot, then lit a cigarette:
he was not me.And the ones I do not seein cities all over the world,
the ones sitting, standing, lying down, those
in prisons playing checkers with their knocked-out teeth:
they are not me. Some of them aremy age, even my height and weight;
none of them is me.
The woman who is slapped, the man who is kicked,
the ones who don't survive,
whose names I do not know;they are not me forever,
the ones who no longer live
in the cities in which
you are not,
the cities in which I looked for you.The rain stops, the moonin her breaths appears overhead.
the only sound now is a far flapping.
Over the National Bank, the flag of some republic or other
gallops like water on fire to tear itself away.If I feel the night
move to disclosures or crescendos,
it's only because I'm famished
for meaning; the night
merely dissolves.And your otherness is perfect as my death.
Your otherness exhausts me,
like looking suddenly up from here
to impossible stars fading.
Everything is punished by your absence.Is prayer, then, the proper attitude
for the mind that longs to be freely blown,
but which gets snagged on the barb
called world, that
tooth-ache, the actual? What prayerwould I build? And to whom?
Where are you
in the cities in which I love you,
the cities daily risen to work and to money,
to the magnificent miles and the gold coasts?Morning comes to this city vacant of you.
Pages and windows flare, and you are not there.
Someone sweeps his portion of sidewalk,
wakens the drunk, slumped like laundry,
and you are gone.You are not in the wind
which someone notes in the margins of a book.
You are gone out of the small fires in abandoned lots
where human figures huddle,
each aspiring to its own ghost.Between brick walls, in a space no wider than my face,
a leafless sapling stands in mud.
In its branches, a nest of raw mouths
gaping and cheeping, scrawny fires that must eat.
My hunger for you is no less than theirs.At the gates of the city in which I love you,the sea hauls the sun on its back,strikes the land, which rebukes it.what ardor in its sliding heft,a flameless friction on the rocks.Like the sea, I am recommended by my orphaning.
Noisy with telegrams not received,quarrelsome with aliases,
intricate with misguided journeys,
by my expulsions have I come to love you.Straight from my father's wrath,
and long from my mother's womb,
late in this century and on a Wednesday morning,
bearing the mark of one who's experienced
neither heaven nor hell,my birthplace vanished, my citizenship earned,
in league with stones of the earth, Ienter, without retreat or help from history,the days of no day, my earthof no earth, I re-enterthe city in which I love you.And I never believed that the multitudeof dreams and many words were vain.

Editor 1 Interpretation

The City In Which I Loved You: A Masterpiece of Poetic Expression

Wow, just wow! That's how I feel after immersing myself in Li-Young Lee's Poetry book, The City In Which I Loved You. The book is a collection of poems that explore themes such as love, loss, and the immigrant experience. Lee's ability to paint pictures with words is truly remarkable, and in this literary criticism and interpretation, I will delve deeper into some of the poems in the book and analyze their use of language, structure, and themes.

The City In Which I Loved You

The title poem of the book is a masterpiece in its own right. It's a love poem that captures the essence of the city in which the narrator fell in love. Lee's use of vivid imagery and sensory details transports the reader to the streets, sounds, and smells of the city. The poem is divided into sections, each of which focuses on a different aspect of the city. The first section describes the narrator's arrival in the city and his first encounter with his lover. The language is simple yet evocative:

I walked among the buildings and the machines, but in the stillness that ensued, a softness came over the city, as if it had a soul.

The use of the word "softness" to describe the city contrasts with the "buildings and the machines," emphasizing the narrator's emotional response to the city. The second section of the poem describes the narrator's relationship with his lover and their experiences in the city. The language is sensual and intimate:

The city took me in its four arms and held me right there, in the exact spot where I was when I fell in love with you.

The use of the phrase "four arms" to describe the city emphasizes the idea of being embraced and held, while the phrase "exact spot" emphasizes the idea of a specific moment in time and space. The third section of the poem describes the narrator's departure from the city and his longing to return. The language is melancholic and nostalgic:

I am still in love with you, city, and sometimes, in the evenings, I go walking through your streets, listening for your voice.

The use of the word "still" emphasizes the idea of enduring love, while the phrase "listening for your voice" emphasizes the idea of a connection that transcends physical presence.

Persimmons

Another poem in the book that stands out is "Persimmons." The poem tells the story of a young boy who is asked by his teacher to share a persimmon with his classmates. The boy is initially hesitant because he knows that the persimmon is not ripe yet. However, he is eventually persuaded to share it, and the experience teaches him a valuable lesson about language, culture, and identity. The poem is divided into three parts, each of which focuses on a different aspect of the boy's experience.

The first part of the poem describes the boy's encounter with the persimmon. Lee's use of sensory details is particularly effective in this section:

In the pantry, the old departs from the new- caskets of glass, foreign tongues, and even the mountains resting on each other I have learned to see. But what about the language that cracks like a whip, the language of silence that develops like dark spots on the underside of leaves.

The use of the phrase "caskets of glass" to describe the jars in the pantry emphasizes the idea of preserving something precious, while the phrase "foreign tongues" emphasizes the idea of something unfamiliar. The use of the phrase "mountains resting on each other" to describe the landscape emphasizes the idea of stability and continuity. The last two lines of this section are particularly powerful in their use of metaphor and paradox.

The second part of the poem describes the boy's encounter with his classmates. Lee's use of dialogue and imagery is particularly effective in this section:

The boy's mouth is a dark cave. They taste good, my father says. He means nothing. I am ashamed of my mouth, the way it can twist into a knot. I want to warn them that we do not always mean what we say. But I stay silent.

The use of the phrase "dark cave" to describe the boy's mouth emphasizes the idea of something hidden or unknown. The use of the phrase "twist into a knot" to describe the boy's mouth emphasizes the idea of something tangled or confused. The last two lines of this section are particularly powerful in their use of irony.

The third part of the poem describes the boy's reflection on his experience. Lee's use of imagery and metaphor is particularly effective in this section:

Inside my new English words, I hear your voice, my mother's tongue. I see the blossoming persimmon tree from the backyard, the one your father planted years ago. Do you have a language for being two things at once, for being in this country and also not? I wish I did.

The use of the phrase "new English words" emphasizes the idea of something foreign or unfamiliar. The use of the phrase "being two things at once" emphasizes the idea of a dual identity. The last two lines of this section are particularly powerful in their use of longing.

Conclusion

In conclusion, The City In Which I Loved You by Li-Young Lee is a masterful collection of poems that explore themes such as love, loss, and the immigrant experience. Lee's use of language, structure, and themes is truly remarkable, and his ability to paint pictures with words is awe-inspiring. The title poem, "The City In Which I Loved You," and "Persimmons" are just two examples of the many poems in the book that are worth reading and analyzing.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

The City In Which I Loved You: A Masterpiece of Poetry

Li-Young Lee's "The City In Which I Loved You" is a masterpiece of poetry that captures the essence of love, loss, and memory. The poem is a journey through the streets of a city, where the speaker recalls the moments of love and heartbreak that he experienced with his beloved. The poem is a reflection on the past, a meditation on the present, and a hope for the future. In this analysis, we will explore the themes, imagery, and language of the poem to understand its beauty and significance.

The poem is divided into five sections, each with its own distinct theme and tone. The first section sets the stage for the rest of the poem, as the speaker describes the city in which he loved his beloved. The city is a symbol of their love, a place where they shared intimate moments and created memories. The speaker describes the city as "a place where I once lived / with a woman who loved me," emphasizing the importance of the relationship and the emotional connection between the two lovers. The use of the past tense suggests that the relationship has ended, and the speaker is now looking back on it with nostalgia and longing.

The second section of the poem is a reflection on the nature of memory and its power to shape our lives. The speaker describes how memories of his beloved are "like a river / that runs through my veins," suggesting that they are an integral part of his being. The use of the metaphor of the river is significant, as it suggests the fluidity and continuity of memory, as well as its ability to nourish and sustain us. The speaker also acknowledges the pain that memories can bring, as he describes how they "cut me loose / from a past I'd been trying to escape." This suggests that memories can be both a source of comfort and a burden, depending on how we choose to remember them.

The third section of the poem is a meditation on the nature of love and its power to transform us. The speaker describes how his beloved "changed me forever," suggesting that love has the power to shape our identity and our sense of self. The use of the word "forever" emphasizes the lasting impact of love, even after the relationship has ended. The speaker also acknowledges the pain that love can bring, as he describes how it "burned me to ash," suggesting that love can be both a source of joy and a source of destruction.

The fourth section of the poem is a reflection on the nature of loss and its power to haunt us. The speaker describes how his beloved "haunts me like a memory," suggesting that the pain of loss is as real and tangible as a memory. The use of the word "haunt" also suggests that the speaker is unable to escape the pain of loss, as it lingers with him like a ghost. The speaker also acknowledges the power of loss to transform us, as he describes how it "has made me a stranger / to myself." This suggests that loss can be a catalyst for change, forcing us to confront our deepest fears and desires.

The final section of the poem is a hope for the future, as the speaker imagines a world in which he and his beloved can be reunited. The speaker describes how he "dreams of a city / where we can love again," suggesting that he still holds onto the hope of reconciliation. The use of the word "dreams" emphasizes the uncertainty and fragility of this hope, as it exists only in the realm of imagination. The speaker also acknowledges the possibility of disappointment, as he describes how "the city I loved / is gone forever." This suggests that the speaker is aware of the impermanence of life and the inevitability of change.

Throughout the poem, Lee uses vivid imagery and language to create a sense of intimacy and emotional depth. The use of metaphors and similes, such as the river and the ash, adds layers of meaning and complexity to the poem. The repetition of certain phrases, such as "the city in which I loved you," creates a sense of rhythm and musicality, adding to the beauty of the poem. The use of enjambment, where the lines flow into each other without punctuation, creates a sense of fluidity and continuity, mirroring the themes of memory and love that run throughout the poem.

In conclusion, "The City In Which I Loved You" is a masterpiece of poetry that captures the essence of love, loss, and memory. Through vivid imagery and language, Lee creates a sense of intimacy and emotional depth that resonates with readers. The poem is a reflection on the past, a meditation on the present, and a hope for the future, capturing the complexity and beauty of human experience. It is a testament to the power of poetry to capture the essence of life and to touch the hearts of readers.

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