Amy Lowell. May Evening in Central Park. Harriet Monroe, ed. Poetry: A Magazine of Verse. 1912-22

Harriet Monroe, ed. (1860–1936). Poetry: A Magazine of Verse. 1912–22.

May Evening in Central Park

By Amy Lowell


From “Chalks: Black, Red, White” LINES of lamp-light
Splinter the black water,
And all through
The dim park
Are lamps	5
Hanging among the trees.
But they are only like fire-flies
Pricking the darkness,
And I lean my body against it
And spread out my fingers	10
To let it drift through them.
I am a swimmer
In the damp night,
Or a bird
Floating over the sucking grasses.	15
I am a lover
Tracking the silver foot-prints
Of the moon.
I am a young man,
In Central Park,	20
With Spring
Bursting over me.

The trees push out their young leaves,
Although this is not the country;
And I whisper beautiful, hot words,	25
Although I am alone,
And a few more steps
Will bring me
The glare and suffocation
Of bright streets.	30