Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"On Heaven Street at One A.M." by Wanda Coleman is a vivid, atmospheric poem that captures a moment of nocturnal tension and unease on the streets of Hollywood. The poem weaves together themes of fear, desire, and the search for connection against the backdrop of a city that is both alluring and dangerous. Coleman's evocative imagery and precise language draw the reader into a world where the boundaries between reality and fantasy, safety and peril, are blurred.

The opening lines immediately immerse us in the "glitter night beneath stars," presenting Hollywood as a city "squeezed into a dress of blue light and rain," suggesting both glamour and constriction. This duality sets the tone for the poem, highlighting the allure of the city's nightlife while hinting at the darker undercurrents that lie beneath its surface.

The speaker's encounter with a "car city cowboy" on the "rutted asphalt" introduces a character who is emblematic of the city's transient, predatory nature. The cowboy's intrusion and the speaker's subsequent panic encapsulate the constant state of alertness and vulnerability experienced by those navigating the city's streets after dark. The description of the cowboy as "thin and crisp as a brand new c note" further emphasizes the commodification of interactions in this urban landscape, where everything, including human connection, is reduced to transactional exchanges.

The phrase "four years of fear" suggests a prolonged exposure to the city's hazards, a testament to the speaker's resilience but also to the toll that such an environment takes on its inhabitants. The imagery of "Tuesday midnight/pulling over to the curb-red eyed/lights gone wild" paints a picture of disorientation and desperation, capturing the chaos and unpredictability of life on the edge.

The cowboy's question, "do you have a license to kill," imbued with menace and double entendre, heightens the sense of danger, introducing the theme of survival in a city where the line between predator and prey is constantly shifting. The closed stores and the description of the city as a "sprawling hick town" filled with "prophets of false discovery" critique the illusion of prosperity and opportunity that Hollywood represents, revealing a landscape marked by exploitation and disillusionment.

The speaker's navigation of "discarded bones/dreams diminished to level of discharged chewing gum/semen, cig butts and smog inspired sputum" illustrates the degradation and neglect that pervade this environment, where dreams are trampled underfoot and the remnants of human encounters are left to litter the streets.

The "jane of shades" seeking to "clip the neon phantom to score big" symbolizes the pursuit of elusive success or fulfillment in a city that thrives on spectacle and illusion. This quest is juxtaposed with the promise of "home" and the comfort of familiar arms, suggesting a longing for stability and genuine connection amidst the chaos.

The closing lines, "these eyes in the sky are lights from stars long burnt-out long gone cold," serve as a poignant metaphor for the disconnection and existential loneliness that characterize the speaker's experience. The stars, typically symbols of hope and guidance, are revealed to be mere echoes of light, underscoring the theme of disillusionment that permeates the poem.

"On Heaven Street at One A.M." is a powerful exploration of the complexities of urban life, delving into the contradictions of a city that captivates and repels in equal measure. Through this nocturnal journey, Coleman invites readers to reflect on the nature of fear, desire, and the search for meaning in a world that often feels alien and unforgiving.

POEM TEXT: http://eclipsearchive.org/projects/TRIPWIRE/T5/Tripwire5.pdf

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