Sun-Up, and Other Poems

Name: Sun-Up, and Other Poems
Author: Lola Ridge

by Lola Ridge

Pages: about 29
Category: Literature & Fiction
Language: English
Reading time: 32 min at 250 wpm

Start readingThe whole book, as cards or one word at a time. 18 min at 450 wpm in Read mode.

From the opening

TIME-STONE TRAIN WINDOW SCANDAL ELECTRICITY SKYSCRAPERS WALL STREET AT NIGHT EAST RIVER
IN HARNESS REVEILLE TO ALEXANDER BERKMAN EMMA GOLDMAN AN OLD WORKMAN TO LARKIN WIND RISING IN THE ALLEYS
(Shadows over a cradle... fire-light craning.... A hand throws something in the fire and a smaller hand runs into the flame and out again, singed and empty.... Shadows settling over a cradle... two hands and a fire.)
Cherry, cherry, glowing on the hearth, bright red cherry.... When you try to pick up cherry Celia's shriek sticks in you like a pin.
When God throws hailstones you cuddle in Celia's shawl and press your feet on her belly high up like a stool. When Celia makes umbrella of her hand. Rain falls through big pink spokes of her fingers. When wind blows Celia's gown up off her legs she runs under pillars of the bank-- great round pillars of the bank have on white stockings too.
Celia says my father will bring me a golden bowl. When I think of my father I cannot see him for the big yellow bowl like the moon with two handles he carries in front of him.
Grandpa, grandpa... (Light all about you... ginger... pouring out of green jars...) You don't believe he has gone away and left his great coat... so you pretend... you see his face up in the ceiling. When you clap your hands and cry, grandpa, grandpa, grandpa, Celia crosses herself.
It isn't a dream.... It comes again and again.... You hear ivy crying on steeples the flames haven't caught yet and images screaming when they see red light on the lilies on the stained glass window of St. Joseph. The girl with the black eyes holds you tight, and you run... and run past the wild, wild towers... and trees in the gardens tugging at their feet and little frightened dolls shut up in the shops crying... and crying... because no one stops... you spin like a penny thrown out in the street.

A short sample. Read the whole book

Sun-Up, and Other Poems

From the opening

More to read