Summary Of In The City Of Light By Larry Levis

Larry Levis’ poem “In the City of Light” contains levels of depth that, with close reading, reveal a sense of what it truly feels like for one to experience loss. The poem chronicles the narrator’s response to his (I presume the narrator is male, although the text does not specify) father’s death, leaving his lover, and analysis of the impact of both events. Upon first reading, I was drawn in by the characterization of the narrator’s loneliness and uncertainty, and sought to grasp a better understanding of the depiction of such feelings. The poem reveals a real human experience through both the narrator’s depth of sensation and his fluctuation of certainty, ultimately demonstrating that loss is not defined by one sad feeling, but leaves the individual struggling to find meaning in the absence of a person. Throughout the poem, images of physical sensation guide the narrator’s explanation of the events before him. The first section, responding to the father’s death, demonstrates the narrator silencing the world around him. He describes an experience of walking down a New York street where he “stopped hearing traffic, voices, the racket of spring wind” (8-9). The use of negative words such as “traffic,” “voices,” and “racket” show the narrator’s view of such things as distracting. He expands upon this action, stating: “That …show more content…
The poem juxtaposes physical sensation with realization and examines the yo-yo of peaceful clarity with insecurity to create the complexity of pain and acceptance that comes alongside missing someone. After close examination of the poem, I felt increasingly connected to the ideas represented. Although I have not experienced the same loss as the narrator, I too have tried to find peace in the face of a grave. We never stop truly missing someone, and Levis’s poem demonstrates insight into this