Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Muriel Rukeyser's poem "Seventh Avenue" paints a vivid, somber portrait of a New York City street during the late hours of the night, focusing on the marginalized individuals who populate it. Through stark imagery and evocative language, Rukeyser explores themes of visibility, vulnerability, and the quest for dignity amidst urban desolation.

The poem begins with a powerful line: "This is the cripples’ hour on Seventh Avenue / when they emerge, the two o’clock night-walkers," immediately setting the scene in a specific time and place. The term "cripples' hour" signifies a time when those who are often hidden or ignored during the day come out, suggesting a world that operates in the margins of society. The "two o’clock night-walkers" implies an almost ghostly existence, where the characters of this nocturnal landscape are half-seen and half-known.

Rukeyser’s description of the night-walkers is both empathetic and stark: "the cane, the crutch, and the black suit." These symbols of disability and formality highlight the dignity and the burden carried by these individuals. The use of "black suit" also evokes a sense of mourning or solemnity, reinforcing the poem’s melancholic tone.

The poem continues with a series of striking visual images: "Oblique early mirages send the eyes: / light dramatized in puddles, the animal glare / that makes indignity, makes the brute." The "oblique early mirages" and "light dramatized in puddles" create a surreal, almost dreamlike atmosphere, where reality is distorted and intensified by reflections and shadows. The "animal glare" suggests a harsh, unforgiving world that reduces these individuals to their physical conditions, stripping them of their humanity.

Rukeyser comments on the lack of promise for the coming day: "Not enough effort in the sky for morning. / No color, pantomime of blackness, landscape / where the third layer back is always phantom." The absence of color and the "pantomime of blackness" underscore the bleakness of the scene. The "third layer back" being "always phantom" suggests a depth of despair and invisibility, where even the background of the landscape is ghostly and insubstantial.

The parade of characters that follows is poignant and richly detailed: "Here come the fat man, the attractive dog-chested / legless—and the wounded infirm king / with nobody to use him as a saint." Each figure is rendered with a mix of physical detail and symbolic weight. The "attractive dog-chested legless" person and the "wounded infirm king" evoke both a physical reality and a deeper symbolic resonance, suggesting stories of loss and struggle.

The poem's central image of the "cripples' hour" parade continues as these individuals move through the urban night: "to the drugstore, the bar, the newspaper-stand, / past kissing shadows on a window-shade to / colors of alcohol, reflectors, light." This journey through familiar urban landmarks highlights their attempts to find connection, solace, and visibility in a world that often overlooks them.

The longing for recognition and validation is palpable in the lines: "Wishing for trial to prove their innocence / with one straight simple look: / the look to set this avenue in its colors." This desire for a "straight simple look" to bring color and recognition to their world speaks to a deep need for dignity and justice. The "trial" and "innocence" imply a societal judgment from which they seek exoneration.

Rukeyser concludes with a powerful juxtaposition: "two o’clock on a black street instead of / wounds, mysteries, fables, kings / in a kingdom of cripples." The "black street" symbolizes a harsh, uncaring reality, contrasted with the "wounds, mysteries, fables, kings" that suggest a richer, albeit painful, inner life. The "kingdom of cripples" is a realm where these individuals reign, not through power or wealth, but through their shared experiences of vulnerability and resilience.

"Seventh Avenue" is a compelling exploration of marginalized lives in an urban setting, capturing the dignity and despair of those who inhabit the night. Rukeyser's vivid imagery and empathetic narrative invite readers to see beyond the surface, to recognize the humanity and the stories of those often rendered invisible by society.

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