Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

SKETCHES by DAVID IGNATOW

Poet Analysis

First Line: IN NEW YORK, BUS DRIVERS ARE THE ONLY HAPPY MEN
Last Line: THAT READS DRINK BLOTTO!
Subject(s): CRUELTY; NEW YORK CITY; VIOLENCE; MANHATTAN; NEW YORK, NEW YORK; THE BIG APPLE;
In New York, bus drivers are the only happy men.
They can close doors on people with impunity,
even as it rains, and drive off. Nobody objects,
newspapers set before their faces
in their seats, reading in their spare time
of worse news yet.

In New York, when you say Please,
persons are suspicious that you intend
to rob them or they answer politely
as if to let you know they'd rather
rob you first.

In New York, to enjoy yourself,
you must first beat yourself
on the head with a cop's club.
Reeling over the streets, leer
at the dance hall photos
of girls undressed, for the rent
in a silent room above a flashing neon
that reads Drink Blotto!



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