Question

hi can someone pleases help me analyze this poem. I need a lot of help

In The Gallery


Here neither nymph nor naiad ever bathed
nor Saint refreshed herself in pristine water,

here, in The Gallery, between Tie Rack,
Camera Shop, B. Dalton, Radio Shack,

Dad's Pizzas, Message Cards and Chez
Chocolat, a stream and pool are held

in marble, or simulated marble, banks
with fountains on two levels and a water-

fall, where pumped recirculated water's
splash and gurgle cools or seems to cool

the loud bright air so filled with crowds and hawkers,
bottom agleam with shining coins whose shimmer

reflects the neon clash of colors flashing
on pennies aglitter, gleaming quarters, dimes

tossed in from the concrete shore or flung
from the arched bridge that joins one teeming aisle

of bargains to the other, each coin sent
with a silent, urgent wish to some unseen power--

Dear Goddess of Good Luck, whatever your name now,
please smile on us, who make this place your grove.


I need help understanding what the theme is. I also don't know why its called in the gallery

Answer 1

http://www.jiskha.com/display.cgi?id=1263753128

A theme can be thought of as a "hidden message" -- what does the poet want you to understand that he does not write explicitly?

"The Gallery" here seems to be the name of a shopping mall. There are cities in the US (and probably other places as well) where there are huge shopping malls called The Galleria...

Answer 2

A "gallery" often refers to an Art Gallery; it also often refers to the upper deck of a mall full of stores. In his first verse he tells you which of these he is talking about.

What is happening in this poem? Why are people doing it? What do YOU think. After you have done some work on this, please repost and we will be happy to make further suggestions.