Awaking In New York, Maya Angelou: Summary & Analysis
"Awaking In New York" by Maya Angelou is a vivid and contemplative poem that captures the essence of the bustling city in the early morning hours. Through striking imagery and evocative language, the poem explores the contrast between the city's energy and the speaker's personal sense of isolation. Awaking In New York by Maya Angelou Curtains forcing their will
against the wind,
children sleep,
exchanging dreams with
seraphim. The city
drags itself awake on
subway straps; and
I, an alarm, awake as a
rumor of war,
lie stretching into dawn,
unasked and unheeded.
Short Summary of Awaking in New York
The curtains push against the wind with a forceful determination. Meanwhile, children sleep soundly, their dreams mingling with those of celestial beings. In the distance, the city sluggishly comes to life, people clinging to subway straps as they begin their day. Like an alarm, I wake up too, filled with an unspoken sense of dread, a vague premonition of conflict. Lying the…