William Carlos William’s “The Great Figure”, compressed into one line, would read thusly:
Among the rain and lights I saw a figure 5 in gold on a red firetruck moving tense unheeded to gong clangs siren howls and wheels rumbling through the dark city.
The figure 5 doesn’t heed the clangs, howls, and rumbling nor the rain and lights. It’s going to go fight a fire—what does it care?
I read the same poem while waiting in a pizzeria with “Poems of New York.” I found it hard to understand. Thanks for this reflection on it. I noticed that it will be discussed in class, so hopefully I will remember what its about till then.
I was so confused after I read it. I really had no idea that the figure 5 was on the fire truck. Once I googled a pic of it, it made a lot more sense. I really hope the modern ones don’t have them or else that just means I’m really not that observant.