Cumberland Station (Masterplots II: Poetry, Revised Edition)
At a glance:
- Author: Dave Smith
- First Published: 1975
- Type of Work: Elegy
- Genres: Free verse, Poetry, Elegy
- Subjects: United States or Americans, Parents and children, Traveling or travelers, Poverty or poor people, Death or dying, Cities or towns, Fishes
The Poem
“Cumberland Station” is a free-verse elegy with nine stanzas that vary in length. The station in the poem’s title is in Cumberland, Maryland, a town at the end of the Potomac River that was once considered the “Gateway to the West.” While the station at one time served as a gateway, the poem explores how a station can change from a gateway to a “godforsaken/ wayside.” Throughout the poem, the station reflects the speaker’s moods. Like much of Dave Smith’s work, the poem is autobiographical, exploring the effect of place and history on individuals who...
[The entire page is 1470 words long]
Join eNotes
Over 3,500 study guides, question and answer forums, literature criticism, reference content, and much more!
See Also
