Question

Sunset of the Cityby Gwendolyn BrooksAlready I am no longer looked at with lechery or love.My daughters and sons have put me away with marbles and dolls,Are gone from the house.My husband and lovers are pleasant or somewhat politeAnd night is night.It is a real chill out,The genuine thing.I am not deceived, I do not think it is still summerBecause sun stays and birds continue to sing.It is summer-gone that I see, it is summer-gone.The sweet flowers indrying and dying down,The grasses forgetting their blaze and consenting to brown.It is a real chill out. The fall crisp comes.I am aware there is winter to heed.There is no warm houseThat is fitted with my need.I am cold in this cold house this houseWhose washed echoes are tremulous down lost halls.I am a woman, and dusty, standing among new affairs.I am a woman who hurries through her prayers.Tin intimations of a quiet core to be myDesert and my dear reliefCome: there shall be such islanding from grief,And small communion with the master shore.Twang they. And I incline this ear to tin,Consult a dual dilemma. Whether to dryIn humming pallor or to leap and die.Somebody muffed it? Somebody wanted to joke.

Answer 1

"Sunset of the City" by Gwendolyn Brooks explores themes of loss, change, and the passage of time. The poem reflects on the speaker's feelings of abandonment and isolation as they come to terms with the end of a phase in life, reminiscent of summer's departure. The imagery of children leaving home, a cold house, and the transition from summer to fall and winter symbolizes the speaker's emotional and existential state.

The repetition of phrases like “It is summer-gone” emphasizes the finality of change and the inevitability of aging and loss. There is a contrast between the vibrancy of summer—symbolized by the sun, singing birds, and sweet flowers—and the stark reality of a cold and lonely existence in a house filled with echoes of the past.

The poem also hints at spiritual yearning, with references to prayers and a desire for communion, reflecting a search for solace amid grief. The closing lines introduce a sense of ambiguity and tension with the mention of a "dual dilemma" and a possible conflict between passivity and action—whether to endure in silence or to take a leap into the unknown.

Overall, Brooks captures a profound sense of melancholy intertwined with resilience, as the speaker navigates the complexities of identity, spirituality, and the shifting landscapes of life. The poem speaks to the universal experience of facing change and seeking meaning within the constraints of existence.