The Day Lady Died (Magill’s Survey of American Literature, Revised Edition)
At a glance:
- Author: Frank O’Hara
- First Published: 1964
- Type of Work: Poem
- Genres: Poetry, Meditation
- Subjects: 1950’s, New York, North America or North Americans, Northeast, U.S., United States or Americans, Music or musicians, New York City, Art or artists, Poetry or poets, Death or dying, Jazz music, Bohemianism
“The Day Lady Died” is one of O’Hara's “I do this, I do that” poems, until the sudden reversal of the last few lines. The poem begins with the O’Hara speaker recording the details of the day. “It is 12:20 in New York a Friday/ three days after Bastille day, yes/ it is 1959. . . .” The casual description is an effective way of establishing the date and time in which a surprising and momentous event will be recognized.
The speaker switches to describing his own activities, which include getting a shoeshine and planning a train itinerary. He eats, and he buys “an...
[The entire page is 557 words long]
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