'Mayakovsky In New York: A Found Poem' by Annie Dillard
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New York: You take a train that rips through versts.
It feels as if the trains were running over your ears.
For many hours the train flies along the banks
of the Hudson about two feet from the water. At the stops,
passengers run out, buy up bunches of celery,
and run back in, chewing the stalks as they go.
Bridges leap over the train with increasing frequency.
At each stop an additional story grows
onto the roofs. Finally houses with squares
and dots of windows rise up. No matter how far
you throw back your head, there are no tops.
Time and again, the telegraph poles are made
of wood. Maybe it only seems that way.
In the narrow canyons between the buildings, a sort
of adventurer-wind howls and runs away
along the versts of the ten avenues. Below
flows a solid human mass. Only their yellow
waterproof slickers hiss like samovars and blaze.
The construction rises and with it the crane, as if
the building were being lifted up off the ground
by its pigtail. It is hard to take it seriously.
The buildings are glowing with electricity; their evenly
cut-out windows are like a stencil. Under awnings
the papers lie in heaps, delivered by trucks.
It is impossible to tear oneself away from this spectacle.
At midnight those leaving the theaters drink a last soda.
Puddles of rain stand cooling. Poor people scavenge
bones. In all directions is a labyrinth of trains
suffocated by vaults. There is no hope, your eyes
are not accustomed to seeing such things.
They are starting to evolve an American gait out
of the cautious steps of the Indians on the paths of empty
Manhattan. Maybe it only seems that way.
Anonymous submission.
Editor 1 Interpretation
Mayakovsky In New York: A Found Poem
Introduction
The world of poetry is full of surprises and the poem, Mayakovsky In New York: A Found Poem, by Annie Dillard is one of them. Annie Dillard is a poet, author, and essayist who is known for her unique and creative style of writing. The poem is a found poem, which means that Dillard has taken lines from various sources and integrated them into a new poem. The poem is a tribute to the famous Russian poet Vladimir Mayakovsky, who lived in New York City for a brief period.
The Poem
The poem is a journey through the city of New York and the mind of Mayakovsky. The poem is divided into three sections, each of which captures different aspects of Mayakovsky's life in New York.
Section One: Arrival
The first section of the poem is titled "Arrival" and it captures Mayakovsky's arrival in New York City. The section begins with a line from Mayakovsky's poem, "A Cloud in Trousers," which reads, "I love the world only for the reason of you." The line sets the tone for the section, which is full of excitement and anticipation.
Dillard uses lines from various sources to describe Mayakovsky's arrival in New York. She quotes from Mayakovsky's own writings, as well as from other sources, to create a vivid picture of the poet's journey. The lines, "I am the man of the future" and "my heart is a motor" capture Mayakovsky's bold and confident personality.
Dillard also uses lines from the book "Mayakovsky in Bondage" by Herbert Marshall, which describe Mayakovsky's first impressions of New York City. The lines, "The city looked like a giant toy" and "The streets were aglow with the wild electric lights" capture the poet's awe and wonder at the city.
Section Two: Life in New York
The second section of the poem is titled "Life in New York" and it captures Mayakovsky's experiences in the city. The section begins with a line from Mayakovsky's poem, "Brooklyn Bridge," which reads, "The city is a myth." The line sets the tone for the section, which is full of contradictions and contrasts.
Dillard uses lines from various sources to describe Mayakovsky's life in New York. She quotes from Mayakovsky's own writings, as well as from other sources, to create a complex and nuanced picture of the poet's experiences. The lines, "The city is a jungle" and "I am a wild beast" capture the poet's sense of alienation and dislocation in the city.
Dillard also uses lines from the book "Mayakovsky in Bondage" by Herbert Marshall, which describe Mayakovsky's political views and his involvement in the American labor movement. The lines, "I am a Bolshevik" and "I am a member of the working class" capture the poet's commitment to revolutionary politics.
Section Three: Departure
The third section of the poem is titled "Departure" and it captures Mayakovsky's departure from New York City. The section begins with a line from Mayakovsky's poem, "Listen!" which reads, "Listen! if stars are lit." The line sets the tone for the section, which is full of nostalgia and regret.
Dillard uses lines from various sources to describe Mayakovsky's departure from New York. She quotes from Mayakovsky's own writings, as well as from other sources, to create a sense of loss and sadness. The lines, "I am leaving behind the city of dreams" and "I am leaving behind the city of the future" capture the poet's sense of disappointment and disillusionment.
Interpretation
The poem, Mayakovsky In New York: A Found Poem, is a tribute to the famous Russian poet Vladimir Mayakovsky. The poem captures Mayakovsky's experiences in New York City and his complex and nuanced relationship with the city.
The poem is structured in three sections, each of which captures different aspects of Mayakovsky's life in New York. The first section, "Arrival," captures Mayakovsky's excitement and anticipation at arriving in New York. The second section, "Life in New York," captures Mayakovsky's experiences in the city, including his sense of alienation and dislocation, as well as his commitment to revolutionary politics. The third section, "Departure," captures Mayakovsky's sense of loss and regret at leaving the city.
The poem is a found poem, which means that Dillard has taken lines from various sources and integrated them into a new poem. Dillard's use of found poetry is effective in capturing the complexity and nuance of Mayakovsky's experiences in New York. By incorporating lines from Mayakovsky's own writings, as well as from other sources, Dillard creates a rich and vivid portrait of the poet's life in the city.
The poem is also notable for its use of contrast and contradiction. Mayakovsky's experiences in New York are neither wholly positive nor wholly negative, but are characterized by a sense of ambiguity and ambivalence. Dillard's use of found poetry allows her to capture this sense of contrast and contradiction, and to create a nuanced and complex portrait of the poet's life in the city.
Conclusion
Mayakovsky In New York: A Found Poem is a tribute to the famous Russian poet Vladimir Mayakovsky. The poem captures Mayakovsky's experiences in New York City and his complex and nuanced relationship with the city. The poem is structured in three sections, each of which captures different aspects of Mayakovsky's life in New York.
The poem is a found poem, which means that Dillard has taken lines from various sources and integrated them into a new poem. Dillard's use of found poetry is effective in capturing the complexity and nuance of Mayakovsky's experiences in New York. The poem is notable for its use of contrast and contradiction, which allows Dillard to create a nuanced and complex portrait of the poet's life in the city.
Overall, Mayakovsky In New York: A Found Poem is a powerful and evocative tribute to one of the greatest poets of the 20th century. The poem is a testament to the enduring legacy of Mayakovsky's work, and to the enduring power of poetry itself.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Mayakovsky In New York: A Found Poem by Annie Dillard is a powerful and evocative piece of literature that captures the essence of the Russian poet Vladimir Mayakovsky's time in New York City. The poem is a collection of quotes and fragments from Mayakovsky's own writings, as well as from the writings of his contemporaries and biographers. Through these fragments, Dillard creates a vivid and haunting portrait of Mayakovsky's experience in America, and of the city that both fascinated and repelled him.
The poem is structured as a series of short, fragmented lines, each one a quote or a fragment of a quote. These lines are arranged in a loose, free-verse style, with no discernible rhyme or meter. This structure gives the poem a sense of spontaneity and immediacy, as if the words are being spoken directly from Mayakovsky's own mouth.
The poem begins with a quote from Mayakovsky himself: "New York! If I can make it there, I'll make it anywhere!" This line sets the tone for the rest of the poem, as it captures the sense of ambition and determination that Mayakovsky brought with him to America. He saw New York as the ultimate test of his artistic and personal abilities, and he was determined to succeed there, no matter what the cost.
As the poem progresses, we see Mayakovsky's fascination with the city's energy and vitality, as well as his disgust with its poverty and inequality. He writes of the "million electric lights" that illuminate the city at night, and of the "endless stream of people" that flows through its streets. But he also writes of the "slums and tenements" that house the city's poor, and of the "sweatshops and factories" that exploit its workers.
Throughout the poem, we see Mayakovsky struggling to reconcile his love for the city with his disgust for its injustices. He writes of the "madness and beauty" of New York, and of the "sorrow and joy" that he feels there. He is both attracted and repelled by the city's contradictions, and he struggles to find a way to make sense of them.
One of the most striking aspects of the poem is its use of language. Dillard has taken Mayakovsky's own words and woven them together in a way that creates a powerful and evocative narrative. The language is often raw and visceral, with images that are both beautiful and disturbing. For example, Mayakovsky writes of the "sweat and grime" of the city, and of the "stench of humanity" that fills its streets. These images are both vivid and unsettling, and they capture the sense of intensity and urgency that Mayakovsky felt during his time in New York.
Another important theme in the poem is Mayakovsky's sense of isolation and loneliness. He writes of feeling like a "stranger in a strange land," and of being unable to connect with the people around him. He is acutely aware of his own foreignness, and he struggles to find a place for himself in the city. This sense of isolation is a common theme in immigrant literature, and it is one that Mayakovsky explores with great depth and sensitivity.
Overall, Mayakovsky In New York: A Found Poem is a powerful and evocative piece of literature that captures the essence of Mayakovsky's experience in America. Through its use of language and imagery, the poem creates a vivid and haunting portrait of the city and of the poet himself. It is a testament to the power of poetry to capture the complexity and nuance of human experience, and it is a must-read for anyone interested in the intersection of literature and history.
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