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Classic and Contemporary Poetry
NEW YORK, FROM A SKYSCRAPER, by JAMES OPPENHEIM Poet's Biography
First Line: Up in the heights of the evening skies I see my city of
Last Line: Prayer?
Subject(s): New York City - Buildings; Skyscrapers
First Line: Up in the heights of the evening skies I see my city of
Last Line: Prayer?
Subject(s): New York City - Buildings; Skyscrapers
Up in the heights of the evening skies I see my City of cities float
In sunset's golden and crimson dyes: I look, and a great joy clutches my throat!
Plateau of roofs by canyons crossed: windows by thousands fire-unfurled
O gazing, how the heart is lost in the Deepest City in the World!
O sprawling City! Worlds in a world! Housing each strange type that is
human—
Yonder a Little Italy curled—here the haunt of the Scarlet Woman—
The night's white Bacchanals of Broadway—the Ghetto pushcarts ringed with
faces—
Wall Street's roar and the Plaza's play—a weltering focus of all Earth's
races!
Walking your Night's many-nationed byways—brushing Sicilians and Jews and
Greeks—
Meeting gaunt Bread Lines on your highways—watching night-clerks in your
flaming peaks—
Marking your Theatres' outpour of splendour—pausing on doorsteps with
resting Mothers—
I marvelled at Christs with their messages tender, their daring dream of a World
of Brothers!
Brothers? What means Irish to Greek? What the Ghetto to Morningside?
How shall we weld the strong and the weak while millions struggle with light
denied?
Yet, but to follow these Souls where they roam—ripping off housetops, the
city's mask—
At Night I should find each one in a Home, at Morn I should find each one at a
Task!
Labour and Love, four-million divided—surely the millions at last are a-
move—
Surely the Brotherhood-slant is decided—the Social Labour, the Social Love!
Surely four millions of Souls close-gathered in this one spot could stagger the
world—
O City, Earth's Future is Mothered and Fathered where your great streets feel
the Man-tides hurled!
For the Souls in one car where they hang on the straps could send this City a-
wing through the starred—
Each man is a tiny Faucet that taps the infinite reservoir of God!—
What if they turned the Faucet full stream? What if our millions to-night were
aware?
What if to-morrow they built to their Dream the City of Brothers in laughter and
prayer?
Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!
Other Poems of Interest...
THE SKYSCRAPERS OF THE FINANCIAL DISTRICT DANCE WITH GASMAN by MARGE PIERCY
FROM THE WOOLWORTH TOWER by SARA TEASDALE
THE METROPOLITAN TOWER by SARA TEASDALE
SKYSCRAPERS by RACHEL (LYMAN) FIELD
PRAYERS OF STEEL by CARL SANDBURG
MONODY ON THE ASTOR HOUSE by FRANKLIN PIERCE ADAMS
VILLANELLE OF CITY AND COUNTRY by ZOE AKINS
TWO SONNETS FROM NEW YORK: TOWERS by ADELAIDE NICHOLS BAKER