Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Summer: West Side" by John Updike captures the vibrant, multifaceted atmosphere of a New York City summer, particularly focusing on the Upper West Side. The poem is richly textured with sensory details and juxtapositions that bring to life the energy, tensions, and daily rhythms of the city during the hot season. Updike masterfully interweaves images of urban life to evoke a sense of place that is both specific and universal.

The poem opens with a vivid scene: “When on the coral-red steps of old brownstones / Puerto Rican boys, their white shirts luminous, / gather, and their laughter / conveys menace as far as Central Park West,” immediately setting a tone of youthful exuberance mixed with an underlying tension. The boys' laughter, which spreads across the neighborhood, suggests a vibrancy and life force, yet it is perceived as menacing from afar, hinting at the complex dynamics of urban coexistence and the perceptions of different communities within the city.

Updike then transitions to the local commerce: “When the cheesecake shops on Broadway / keep open long into the dark,” suggesting the city’s endless activity and the small businesses that cater to the city's nighttime culture. The imagery of the “laundryman down in his hole of seven steps / leaves the door of his laundry ajar, / releasing a blue smell of starch” adds another layer to the urban tapestry, highlighting the hard work and late hours of unseen workers who contribute to the neighborhood’s functioning.

The description progresses to the streets themselves: “When the curbside lines of parked cars / appear embedded in the tar,” evoking the heat of the summer that melds everything together, and “the swish of the cars on the Drive / seems urgently loud -” amplifies the constant movement and the pulse of the city that feels more intense in the summer heat.

The sensory experience extends to the natural world with “Then even the lapping of wavelets / on the boards of a barge on the Hudson / is audible,” illustrating how the city’s noises can heighten one's awareness of quieter sounds, linking the urban environment to the natural one. The mention of “Downtown’s foggy glow / fills your window right up to the top” beautifully captures the visual impact of the cityscape, enveloping the viewer in its embrace.

Finally, Updike concludes with a personal, almost intimate reflection of morning routines: “And you walk in the mornings with your cool suit / sheathing the fresh tingle of your shower,” bringing a personal dimension to the poem, and “the gratings idly steam, / and the damp path of the street-sweeper evaporates,” providing images of transient beauty amid the urban grind. The “oddly joyful sight” of the “dentists’ and chiropractors’ white signs” darkened by the night’s activities reflects a moment of quiet joy and appreciation for the mundane yet essential aspects of city life.

"Summer: West Side" is a textured portrayal of New York City’s Upper West Side during summer, rich with imagery that captures the unique feel of the season. Updike’s poem is a celebration of the city's complex beauty, the coexistence of its diverse elements, and the daily lives of its inhabitants. Through vivid imagery and careful attention to detail, the poem paints a picture of a vibrant urban summer that is both exhilarating and profound.

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