'A City Winter' by Frank O'Hara

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1
I understand the boredom of the clerks
fatigue shifting like dunes within their eyes
a frightful nausea gumming up the works
that once was thought aggression in disguise.
Do you remember? then how lightly dead
seemed the moon when over factories
it languid slid like a barrage of lead
above the heart, the fierce inventories
of desire. Now women wander our dreams
carrying money and to our sleep's shame
our hands twitch not for swift blood-sunk triremes
nor languorous white horses nor ill fame,but clutch the groin that clouds a pallid skywhere tow'rs are sinking in their common eye.2
My ship is flung upon the gutter's wrist
and cries for help of storm to violate
that flesh your curiosity too late
has flushed. The stem your garter tongue would twist
has sunk upon the waveless bosom's mist,
thigh of the city, apparition, hate,
and the tower whose doves have, delicate,
fled into my blood where they are not kissed.You have left me to the sewer's meanwhile,
and I have answered the sea's open wish
to love me as a bonfire's watchful hand
guards red the shore and guards the hairy strand,
our most elegant lascivious bile,
my ship sinking beneath the gutter's fish.3
How can I then, my dearest winter lay,
disgorge the tasty worm that eats me up
falling onto the stem of a highway
whose ardent rainbow is the spoon's flat cup
and in the vilest of blue suited force
enamored of the heated needle's arm
finds the ministrant an own tongue's remorse
so near the blood and still so far from harm,
thus to be eaten up and gobbled down
volcanoes of speedometers, the strike
that heats the iris into flame and flow'rs
the panting chalice so a turning pike:you are not how the gods refused to die,and I am scarred forever neath the eye.4
What are my eyes? if they must feed me, rank
with forgetting, in the jealous forest
of lustrous blows, so luminously blank
through smoke and in the light. All faint, at rest,
yet I am racing towards the fear that kills
them off, friends and lovers, hast'ning through tears
like alcohol high in the throat of hills
and hills of night, alluring! their black cheers
falling upon my ears like nails. And there
the bars grow thick with onanists and camps
and bivouacs of bears with clubs, are fair
with their blows, deal death beneath purple lampsand to me! I run! closer always move,crying my name in fields of dead I love.5
I plunge deep within this frozen lake
whose mirrored fastnesses fill up my heart,
where tears drift from frivolity to art
all white and slobbering, and by mistake
are the sky. I'm no whale to cruise apart
in fields impassive of my stench, my sake,
my sign to crushing seas that fall like fake
pillars to crash! to sow as wake my heartand don't be niggardly. The snow drifts low
and yet neglects to cover me, and I
dance just ahead to keep my heart in sight.
How like a queen, to seek with jealous eye
the face that flees you, hidden city, white
swan. There's no art to free me, blinded so.

Editor 1 Interpretation

A City Winter: A Masterpiece of Modern Poetry

Frank O'Hara's "A City Winter" is a powerful and evocative poem that captures the essence of a cold, grey day in the city. Originally published in 1953, O'Hara's work is often associated with the New York School of poets, a group known for their experimental and avant-garde approach to poetry. "A City Winter" is no exception, with its fragmented structure, vivid imagery, and complex themes of urban isolation and loneliness.

Structure and Style

At first glance, "A City Winter" may seem to lack a clear structure or form. The poem is divided into six sections, each of which varies in length and tone. Some sections are only a few lines long, while others span several stanzas. The lines themselves are fragmented and disjointed, with frequent interruptions and abrupt shifts in focus.

Despite this apparent chaos, however, "A City Winter" is a carefully crafted work that reflects O'Hara's skill as a poet. The fragmented structure mirrors the fragmented nature of modern urban life, with its constant interruptions and distractions. The poem's lack of a clear narrative or linear progression also reflects the disorienting nature of the city, where time, space, and experience are constantly in flux.

O'Hara's style is similarly experimental and avant-garde. He frequently employs free verse and stream-of-consciousness techniques, using associations and juxtapositions to create surprising and unexpected connections between images and ideas. His language is often colloquial and conversational, with a sharp wit and sense of humor.

Imagery and Themes

Central to "A City Winter" is the use of vivid imagery to capture the experience of a cold, grey day in the city. O'Hara paints a picture of a world drained of color and life, where "the leaves are gone / and the sky is grey" and "the river is frozen solid." The city itself is depicted as a desolate and lonely place, with "no one around / but the desolate office buildings." This sense of isolation and loneliness is a recurring theme throughout the poem, reflecting the alienation and disconnection that can arise in modern urban life.

Despite the bleakness of this imagery, however, there is also a sense of beauty and wonder in O'Hara's descriptions. He celebrates the "gray light" that suffuses the city, transforming it into a "harsh and alien beauty." There is a sense of awe and reverence in his descriptions of the frozen river, which he compares to a "great crystal palace" and a "fairy tale."

This tension between beauty and desolation, between wonder and despair, is one of the central themes of "A City Winter." O'Hara seems to be suggesting that even in the bleakest and most alienating environments, there is still something worth celebrating and cherishing.

Interpretation and Significance

So what is the significance of "A City Winter," and why does it continue to resonate with readers today? At its core, the poem is a meditation on the experience of modern urban life, with all its contradictions and complexities. O'Hara captures the sense of disorientation and fragmentation that can arise in the city, as well as the feelings of isolation and loneliness that can result.

But he also suggests that there is something inherently beautiful and wondrous about the city, even in its most desolate and alienating moments. By celebrating the gray light and the frozen river, he reminds us that even in the midst of our darkest moments, there is still something worth celebrating and cherishing.

Overall, "A City Winter" is a masterful work of modern poetry that continues to resonate with readers today. Its vivid imagery, fragmented structure, and complex themes make it a challenging but rewarding read, one that invites us to reconsider our own experiences of modern urban life.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

Poetry has the power to transport us to different places and times, to evoke emotions and memories, and to capture the essence of a moment. Frank O'Hara's "A City Winter" is a perfect example of this. This poem takes us on a journey through the streets of New York City on a winter day, and it does so with a sense of excitement and wonder that is contagious.

The poem begins with the speaker describing the city as "a place full of strangers," and this sets the tone for the rest of the poem. The speaker is an observer, someone who is taking in everything around them and trying to make sense of it all. As the poem progresses, we see the speaker's excitement and curiosity grow, as they explore the city and all its wonders.

One of the most striking things about this poem is the way that O'Hara uses language to create a sense of movement and energy. The poem is full of action verbs and vivid descriptions that bring the city to life. For example, in the first stanza, the speaker describes the "rush of people" and the "clang of the trolley cars." These words create a sense of movement and sound that is almost palpable.

As the poem continues, we see the speaker's attention turn to the people around them. O'Hara has a keen eye for detail, and he uses this to create vivid portraits of the people the speaker encounters. For example, in the second stanza, the speaker describes a woman "with a fur collar" who is "laughing and talking to a friend." This image is so vivid that we can almost see the woman and hear her laughter.

Another striking aspect of this poem is the way that O'Hara uses imagery to create a sense of contrast. The city is described as both beautiful and harsh, both welcoming and alienating. For example, in the third stanza, the speaker describes the "icy air" and the "gray sky," but then goes on to say that "the buildings are so beautiful." This contrast between the harshness of the weather and the beauty of the architecture creates a sense of tension that is both exciting and unsettling.

As the poem reaches its climax, we see the speaker's excitement and wonder reach a fever pitch. The speaker describes the city as "a miracle" and says that they "can't believe it's real." This sense of awe and wonder is infectious, and it makes us feel as though we are experiencing the city for the first time along with the speaker.

In conclusion, Frank O'Hara's "A City Winter" is a masterful example of how poetry can capture the essence of a moment and transport us to a different place and time. Through vivid language, striking imagery, and a sense of wonder and excitement, O'Hara creates a portrait of New York City that is both beautiful and harsh, both welcoming and alienating. This poem is a testament to the power of poetry to evoke emotions and memories, and it is a must-read for anyone who loves the city and all its wonders.

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