Amy Lowell — A London Thoroughfare, 2a.m.

Amy Lowell (1874–1925) was an American poet who was part of the imagist movement, a literary movement that emphasized clear and precise language and the use of sharp, concise images to create a sensory and emotional effect. She was born in Brookline, Massachusetts, and spent much of her life traveling and writing poetry.

“A London Thoroughfare, 2a.m.” is a poem by Lowell that was first published in 1917. The poem is set in London’s West End, a busy and bustling area of the city that was known for its nightlife and entertainment.

The poem takes the form of a series of impressions and images, with the speaker describing the sights and sounds of the city at night. The poem is notable for its use of imagery and its evocative language, which creates a sense of movement and energy.

The poem begins with the speaker describing a “jagged hole” in the street, which is being repaired by workmen. The image of the hole serves as a metaphor for the instability and uncertainty of life in the city.

The poem then moves into a series of vignettes, with the speaker describing the people and sights that she encounters on her walk through the city. These include a “limousine” that is “crawling like a snail,” a group of people “singing and shouting” in a bar, and a “woman with painted lips” who is “laughing with white teeth.”

The poem concludes with the speaker describing the “lonely” and “desolate” feeling that she experiences as she walks through the empty streets in the early morning hours. The final image of the poem is of the speaker “treading the crude pavements” and feeling the weight of the city’s history and power.

“A London Thoroughfare, 2a.m.” is considered one of Lowell’s most important and influential poems. It is often cited as an example of imagist poetry, with its emphasis on sensory experience and its use of precise and evocative language. The poem is also notable for its portrayal of the city as a site of both beauty and danger, with the speaker capturing the energy and vitality of the city at night, as well as its darker, more ominous aspects. #literature #poetry