BroadwayBroadway

By Mark DotyBy Mark Doty

Author Details – Mark Doty Author Details – Mark Doty (1953-)(1953-)

Born in Maryville, Tennessee in 1953Born in Maryville, Tennessee in 1953 Earned Bachelor of Arts from Drake University in Des Moines, Earned Bachelor of Arts from Drake University in Des Moines,

Iowa Iowa Earned his Master of Fine Arts at Goddard College in Vermont Earned his Master of Fine Arts at Goddard College in Vermont

where he met Wally Roberts, his long time intimate friend where he met Wally Roberts, his long time intimate friend Published his first collection of poems, Published his first collection of poems, Turtle, Swan,Turtle, Swan,, in 1987 , in 1987 His book His book My AlexandriaMy Alexandria won the won the Los Angeles TimesLos Angeles Times Book Award Book Award

for Poetry in 1993, the National Book Critic's Circle Award for for Poetry in 1993, the National Book Critic's Circle Award for Poetry in 1994, and the T.S. Eliot prize for the best book of Poetry in 1994, and the T.S. Eliot prize for the best book of poetry. poetry.

First American to win the T.S. Eliot PrizeFirst American to win the T.S. Eliot Prize When Roberts died in 1994 from HIV, Doty wrote another book of When Roberts died in 1994 from HIV, Doty wrote another book of

poems entitled poems entitled Atlantis,Atlantis, (1995), which won the (1995), which won the Boston ReviewBoston Review Poetry Prize, the Ambassador Book Award, the Bingham Poetry Poetry Prize, the Ambassador Book Award, the Bingham Poetry Prize, and the Lambda Literary Award Prize, and the Lambda Literary Award

Currently lives in Provincetown, Massachusetts and teaches a Currently lives in Provincetown, Massachusetts and teaches a graduate program at the University of Houston graduate program at the University of Houston

2007 Worcester County Young Writers’ Conference keynote 2007 Worcester County Young Writers’ Conference keynote speakerspeaker

““Broadway”Broadway”

Under Grand Central's tattered vaultUnder Grand Central's tattered vault--maybe half a dozen electric stars still lit----maybe half a dozen electric stars still lit--one saxophone blew, and a sheer black scrimone saxophone blew, and a sheer black scrim

billowed over some minor constellationbillowed over some minor constellationunder repair. Then, on Broadway, red wingsunder repair. Then, on Broadway, red wingsin a storefront tableau, lustrous, the live in a storefront tableau, lustrous, the live macawsmacaws

preening, beaks opening and closingpreening, beaks opening and closinglike those animated knives that unfold all nightlike those animated knives that unfold all nightin jewelers' windows. For sale, in jewelers' windows. For sale,

glass eyes turned outward toward the glass eyes turned outward toward the rain,rain,the birds lined up like the endless flowersthe birds lined up like the endless flowersand cheap gems, the makeshift tablesand cheap gems, the makeshift tables

of secondhand magazinesof secondhand magazinesand shoes the hawkers eyeand shoes the hawkers eyewhile they shelter in the doorways of while they shelter in the doorways of banks.banks.

So many pockets and paper cupsSo many pockets and paper cupsand hands reeled over the weightand hands reeled over the weightof that glittered pavement, and at 103rdof that glittered pavement, and at 103rd

a woman reached to me across the wet a woman reached to me across the wet roofroofof a stranger's car and said, of a stranger's car and said, I'm Carlotta,I'm Carlotta,I'm hungryI'm hungry. She was only asking for . She was only asking for change,change,

so I don't know why I took her hand.so I don't know why I took her hand.The rooftops were glowing above us,The rooftops were glowing above us,enormous, crystalline, a second cityenormous, crystalline, a second city

lit from within. That nightlit from within. That nighta man on the downtown local stood upa man on the downtown local stood upand said, and said, My name is EzekielMy name is Ezekiel,,

I am a poet, and my poem this evening I am a poet, and my poem this evening is calledis calledfallfall. He stood up straight. He stood up straightto recite, a child reminded of his to recite, a child reminded of his postureposture

by the gravity of his text, his handsby the gravity of his text, his handshidden in the pockets of his coat.hidden in the pockets of his coat.Love is protectedLove is protected, he said,, he said,

the way leaves are packed in snow,the way leaves are packed in snow,the rubies of fall. God is protectingthe rubies of fall. God is protectingthe jewel of love for us.the jewel of love for us.

He didn't ask for anything, but I gave himHe didn't ask for anything, but I gave himall the change left in my pocket,all the change left in my pocket,and the man beside me, impulsive, moved,and the man beside me, impulsive, moved,

gave Ezekiel his watch.gave Ezekiel his watch.It wasn't an expensive watch,It wasn't an expensive watch,I don't even know if it worked,I don't even know if it worked,

but the poet started, then walked awaybut the poet started, then walked awayas if so much good fortuneas if so much good fortunemust be hurried away from, must be hurried away from,

before anyone realizes it's a mistake.before anyone realizes it's a mistake.Carlotta, her stocking cap glazedCarlotta, her stocking cap glazedlike feathers in the rain,like feathers in the rain,

under the radiant towers, the floodlit under the radiant towers, the floodlit ramparts,ramparts,must have wondered at my impulse to touch must have wondered at my impulse to touch her,her,which was like touching myself,which was like touching myself,

the way your own hand feels when you hold itthe way your own hand feels when you hold itbecause you want to feel contained.because you want to feel contained.She said, She said, You get home safe now, you hear?You get home safe now, you hear?

In the same way Ezekiel turned backIn the same way Ezekiel turned backto the benevolent stranger.to the benevolent stranger.I will write a poem for you tomorrow,I will write a poem for you tomorrow,

he said. he said. The poem I will write will go like The poem I will write will go like this:this:Our ancestors are replenishingOur ancestors are replenishingthe jewel of love for usthe jewel of love for us..

--Mark Doty--Mark Doty

The SpeakerThe Speaker

Man walking through New YorkMan walking through New York ““Broadway”, “Grand Central [Station]”Broadway”, “Grand Central [Station]”

Purpose of walk is unknown (derivé?)Purpose of walk is unknown (derivé?) Sees beggars, compares them to birdsSees beggars, compares them to birds

““Macaws”, “beaks”Macaws”, “beaks” Sympathetic character (walks with Sympathetic character (walks with

Carlotta, gives money to Ezekiel)Carlotta, gives money to Ezekiel) ““He didn't ask for anything, but I gave He didn't ask for anything, but I gave

himhim/All the change left in my pocket,”/All the change left in my pocket,”

Other CharactersOther Characters Carlotta – Beggar; meets speaker, asks for Carlotta – Beggar; meets speaker, asks for

change/food, instead travels with him on the change/food, instead travels with him on the bus/subway (“downtown local”)bus/subway (“downtown local”)

Ezekiel – Beggar, “Poet”, encountered during Ezekiel – Beggar, “Poet”, encountered during speaker’s travels, reads (his?) poem on the busspeaker’s travels, reads (his?) poem on the bus Nervous, “hands/hidden in the pockets of his coat”, Nervous, “hands/hidden in the pockets of his coat”,

“a child reminded of his posture/by the gravity of “a child reminded of his posture/by the gravity of his text”his text”

Stranger – Gives watch to EzekielStranger – Gives watch to Ezekiel Only thing he can give (“It wasn’t an expensive Only thing he can give (“It wasn’t an expensive

watch/I don’t even know if it worked”)watch/I don’t even know if it worked”) Moved by poem – or by speaker’s actions?Moved by poem – or by speaker’s actions?

FormForm

Broken into three-line stanzasBroken into three-line stanzas Varying sentence/fragment length and Varying sentence/fragment length and

structurestructure Sentences carry over multiple lines and Sentences carry over multiple lines and

stanzasstanzas Stream-of-consciousness-style narration Stream-of-consciousness-style narration

– alternates between thoughts and – alternates between thoughts and description of actionsdescription of actions

Free verse – no consistent rhyme schemeFree verse – no consistent rhyme scheme

The Poem’s OrganizationThe Poem’s Organization

Lines 1-15: Introduction, setting – Lines 1-15: Introduction, setting – The speaker finds himself walking The speaker finds himself walking through New York at night and through New York at night and observes his surroundings observes his surroundings

Lines 16-24- Carlotta – Speaker Lines 16-24- Carlotta – Speaker meets her, takes her for a walk meets her, takes her for a walk instead of giving her change and instead of giving her change and leavingleaving

The Poem’s OrganizationThe Poem’s Organization

Lines 25-46 – Encounter with Ezekiel – Lines 25-46 – Encounter with Ezekiel – “poet” on the bus reads his short, “poet” on the bus reads his short, enigmatic poem (“love is protected…the enigmatic poem (“love is protected…the jewel of love for us”)jewel of love for us”)

Lines 47-54 – Saying goodbye to Carlotta Lines 47-54 – Saying goodbye to Carlotta – she tells him to get home safely– she tells him to get home safely

Lines 55-60 – Ezekiel’s poem – partial Lines 55-60 – Ezekiel’s poem – partial reprise – compares Ezekiel and reprise – compares Ezekiel and Carlotta’s farewellsCarlotta’s farewells

Dominant ImageryDominant Imagery

The Birds and PovertyThe Birds and Poverty ““the live macaws/preening, beaks opening and the live macaws/preening, beaks opening and

closing/like those animated knives that unfold all closing/like those animated knives that unfold all night/in jewelers' windows”night/in jewelers' windows”

Compares beggars with the birds (never actually Compares beggars with the birds (never actually refers to them as beggars – part of his refers to them as beggars – part of his compassionate character)compassionate character)

“ “glass eyes turned outward toward the rain” – glass eyes turned outward toward the rain” – world-wearied, caught in a rainstorm world-wearied, caught in a rainstorm

the makeshift tables/of secondhand magazines/and the makeshift tables/of secondhand magazines/and shoes the hawkers eye/while they shelter in the shoes the hawkers eye/while they shelter in the doorways of banks” – Images of urban poverty, doorways of banks” – Images of urban poverty, struggle to survivestruggle to survive

Dominant Imagery Dominant Imagery (continued)(continued)

The “jewel of love”The “jewel of love” Jewel – something of great value, protected carefullyJewel – something of great value, protected carefully ““Love is protected, he said/the way leaves are Love is protected, he said/the way leaves are

packed in snow/the rubies of fall” – our love is deep packed in snow/the rubies of fall” – our love is deep within us, hidden beneath the weather of outside within us, hidden beneath the weather of outside eventsevents

““God is protecting/the jewel of love for us” – not God is protecting/the jewel of love for us” – not necessarily formal belief in God, but more of a necessarily formal belief in God, but more of a personal faith that keeps love and hope alivepersonal faith that keeps love and hope alive

““Our ancestors are replenishing/the jewel of love for Our ancestors are replenishing/the jewel of love for us” – similar idea – those that came before are us” – similar idea – those that came before are within us, nourishing faith in spite of adversitywithin us, nourishing faith in spite of adversity

Diction and SyntaxDiction and Syntax Dream-like language and description, Dream-like language and description,

consciousness-searching thought (“which was consciousness-searching thought (“which was like touching myself, /the way your own hand like touching myself, /the way your own hand feels when you hold it/ because you want to feel feels when you hold it/ because you want to feel contained.”) intermingled with actions contained.”) intermingled with actions (description of bus ride, stranger’s actions, etc)(description of bus ride, stranger’s actions, etc)

Verb tense switches (present while describing Verb tense switches (present while describing the homeless at the beginning, then past when the homeless at the beginning, then past when describing the events of the poem)describing the events of the poem)

Utilizes sensory images of the city (“pockets Utilizes sensory images of the city (“pockets and paper cups”, “radiant towers, the floodlit and paper cups”, “radiant towers, the floodlit ramparts”)ramparts”)

ConclusionConclusion

““Broadway” can be read as a literal Broadway” can be read as a literal narration of a man’s nighttime narration of a man’s nighttime journey down a New York street and journey down a New York street and bus ride, but it stresses the bus ride, but it stresses the importance of urban wisdom like importance of urban wisdom like Ezekiel’s and uses his poem (which Ezekiel’s and uses his poem (which tells of a “jewel of love”) as a tells of a “jewel of love”) as a metaphor for the internal strength to metaphor for the internal strength to survive poverty-stricken city life.survive poverty-stricken city life.

SourcesSources

1.1. http://www.pshares.org/authors/authttp://www.pshares.org/authors/authorDetails.cfm?prmAuthorID=408horDetails.cfm?prmAuthorID=408

2.2. http://www.bedfordstmartins.com/ihttp://www.bedfordstmartins.com/introduction_literature/poetry/doty.ntroduction_literature/poetry/doty.htmhtm