Alice Notley’s “Poem” is only a ten-line poem, but the message she wanted to give us is not as short as the poem itself. When I read the poem over and over again, I understood what she wanted to say. I could see the meanings behind the words she wrote. As St. Mark’s Place is near St. Mark Church where I went to the poetry reading last Saturday, I have a sense of what that area looks like in the daytime. Even though St. Mark’s Place will be changed from the time she wrote, I believe, in general, it will not be very much different. During the day, retail stores are open, the platforms are crowded with people, and the streets are bustling with cars and taxis. The scenery makes the poets compose many lines, but Notley chose not to describe the daytime.
One hot summer night, when she was gazing outside through her apartment window, she realized how deserted the scene was and how lonely she was. If people hear about St. Mark’s Place, they will think about the busy street and stores, but no one knows “the desolation” of the place. She also knew that people would forget her name at that time (I guess she is a popular poet). The time she chose to write about her poem was unusual because she wanted to give us a different scene and meaning of the same St. Mark’s Place and herself. Therefore, when we look at something from one side, we will think everything seems perfect and has a great time. However, if we see the other side, most of the time, what we think is not right. That is the reason for describing St. Mark’s Place at night.
