In A London Thoroughfare, 2 am, Lowell captures a desolate, almost haunting
view of London late at night. The poem begins with a description of a wet street
reflecting cold, "white lamps," creating a stark visual of a city asleep yet still
unsettlingly alive. Lowell’s imagery presents the street as "a slow-moving river,
Barred with silver and black," a metaphor that suggests movement but also
stagnation, as if the city’s energy is present but devoid of warmth. The form of
the poem is free verse, with irregular line lengths that mirror the slow and
somewhat erratic flow of city life at this hour.
The second stanza introduces human elements—tramps and night-walkers—
observed rather than interacted with, adding to the sense of isolation. These
figures are fleeting, underscoring the eerie emptiness and detachment the
speaker feels. The poem’s structure is unembellished, reflecting the
straightforward but bleak tone as the city is described as "squalid and sinister."
The imagery of the "silver-barred street" conveys both beauty and confinement,
reinforcing the theme of urban alienation.
In the final stanza, the moon appears as a symbol of familiarity and contrast
against the artificial lights of the city. The speaker notes that the moon "cannot
light the city," implying that the natural world is outshone and overshadowed by
the harsh city lights, making it "an alien city." This sense of alienation is central
to the poem, where the moon—something loved and known—is described as
"thin and lustreless," highlighting the city’s overpowering, lifeless brightness.
In contrast, Frost Fair by Rowyda Amin presents a lively, bustling scene on the
Thames, reminiscent of historical frost fairs. The poem begins with "slideshow
faces" flickering from the station, a cinematic image that draws the reader into
the dynamic and chaotic scene of London Bridge. The taxis are "black as
death’s pyjamas," a witty but dark metaphor that hints at a sense of foreboding
underlying the festive atmosphere. The poem's structure is also free verse but
maintains a steady rhythm, aligning with the energetic, sensory-rich imagery.
As the poem progresses, the reader encounters vibrant scenes filled with sensory
details: ballad singers, hotdogs, candyfloss, and even a Punch and Judy show.
These images contrast sharply with Lowell’s cold, detached cityscape and create
a carnival-like atmosphere, emphasizing the poem’s joyful but chaotic tone. The
sensory overload of smells and sounds gives the fair a tactile quality, making it
feel grounded and immediate.
Towards the end, the "whipped bear moonwalking in chains" introduces a
surreal element, contrasting the fair’s festivities with a symbol of captivity and
innocence. This bear, with "marshmallow eyes," evokes sympathy and adds
complexity to the scene, contrasting the fair's outward liveliness with a sense of
underlying sadness. The speaker’s desire to "skate... to the estuary / where the
ice breaks apart" hints at an impulse to escape but ultimately ends with the
speaker choosing to stay, “hands in pockets,” reflecting on love that is
unrequited—a parallel to Lowell’s theme of disconnection.
Both poems explore themes of alienation and contrast urban settings, but they
do so in strikingly different ways. Lowell’s A London Thoroughfare, 2 am
employs a sparse, detached tone to evoke a sense of isolation, with the city
portrayed as "sinister" and "alien." The river imagery in Lowell's poem slow-
moving and "leading nowhere" suggests a stagnant existence, a place that is
both confining and impersonal. Amin’s Frost Fair, meanwhile, offers a scene
bursting with life and energy, yet it is interwoven with dark undertones, such as
the "black as death’s pyjamas" taxis and the chained bear. Both poets present
London as a place where beauty and desolation coexist, but Amin’s London is
complex and layered, inviting both engagement and detachment.
Structurally, both poems use free verse, yet they achieve different effects:
Lowell’s short lines and pauses create a slow, almost meditative pace, reflecting
the stillness and emptiness of the street. Amin’s longer lines and sensory
descriptions create a quick, bustling pace that mirrors the chaos of the fair. This
contrast highlights their differing portrayals of London; for Lowell, the city is
cold and static, while for Amin, it’s a mix of warmth and darkness, a place alive
with contradictions.
In conclusion, both A London Thoroughfare, 2 am and Frost Fair capture a
sense of disconnection in urban settings, using imagery and structure to explore
themes of alienation and complexity in city life. While Lowell’s approach is
minimalist and sombre, Amin’s is vibrant yet tinged with melancholy,
portraying London as both captivating and conflicted.
