Classic and Contemporary Poetry
UNDER THE PALISADES, by ARTHUR GUITERMAN Poet's Biography First Line: Light as a leaf on the lifting swell Last Line: I shall be deathless when ye are naught! Subject(s): Mountains; Native Americans; Nature; New York City; Hills; Downs (great Britain); Indians Of America; American Indians; Indians Of South America; Manhattan; New York, New York; The Big Apple | ||||||||
Light as a leaf on the lifting swell, Balanced by touch of the spruce-wood blades, Poised like a javelin, floats my shell Under the frown of the Palisades. Molded were they in volcanic fire, Up from the bosom of Chaos hurled, Battlement, pinnacle, column, spire Carved by the Chisel that wrought the world. Clear to their Dunsinane rampart sweep Bough-bearing armies of rooted foes; Bright in their chasms the cascades leap; Over their rubble the fox-grape grows. Long have they guarded the river's flow, Summer and winter the ages through, Watching the argosies come and go -- Go, like the Indian's frail canoe. Proud in the heavens they seem to say, Catching my feathering oarblade's gleam, "What is yon waif of a passing day Vexing the rill of our golden stream?" Cliffs of the eons that woo the sky, Furrowed with shadows of world-old thought, Brood ye in pity on such as I? ... I shall be deathless when ye are naught! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...READY FOR THE CANNERY by BERTON BRALEY TRANTER IN AMERICA by AUGUST KLEINZAHLER MEETING YOU AT THE PIERS by KENNETH KOCH FEBRUARY EVENING IN NEW YORK by DENISE LEVERTOV ON 52ND STREET by PHILIP LEVINE THREE POEMS FOR NEW YORK by JOSEPHINE MILES NEW YORK SUBWAY by HILDA MORLEY |
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