Poem Analysis - "Hall of Mirrors", Ted Berrigan

 “Hall Of Mirrors”, Ted Berrigan

      “We miss something now

as we think about it

Let’s see: eat, sleep & dream, read

A good book, by Robert Stone

Be alone

Knew of it first

in New York City. Couldn’t find it

in Ann Arbor, though

I like it here

Had to go back to New York

Found it on the Upper West Side

there

I can’t live with you

But you live

here in my heart

You keep me alive and alert

aware of something missing

going on

I woke up today just in time

to introduce a poet

then to hear him read his rhymes

so unlike mine           & not bad

as I’d thought another time

no breakfast, so no feeling fine.

Then I couldn’t find the party, afterwards

then I did

then I talked with you.

Now it’s back

& a good thing for us

It’s letting us be wise, that’s why

it’s being left up in the air

You can see it, there

as you look, in your eyes

Now it’s yours & now it’s yours & mine.

We’ll have another look, another time.”

                                                                                             

      “Hall of Mirrors” by Ted Berrigan, is started off by telling the reader about a man that lives in the Upper West Side of New York City. The man explains to us that he is currently just realizing how much he is missing his previous hometown, Ann Arbour.

He reflects upon his life experiences. In Ann Arbour, he was living happily. However, he felt he was missing something. He just did not know what exactly he was missing, but he knew it was something big and important.

"Knew of it first

in New York City. Couldn’t find it

in Ann Arbor, though"

  He then comprehends his time spent in New York City. There he felt inspired where he spent quality time with other elite poets like himself. He felt alive, and that he finally belonged to something wonderful. New York City was a wonderful place to be, but nevertheless, he truly missed his hometown. Unfortunately, there in Ann Arbour his poetry work will not reach its finest potential, which is contrary to in New York City where it will.

He chooses to travel back to New York City and wastes no time in doing so. The morning following his arrival, he manages to go to a poetry exhibition in which he is part of. He introduces one of the poets that is part of the poetry posse. As the poet reads his marvelous, rhyming poem, the man notices just how much each person’s poems differentiate from everyone else’s, especially the current poet’s poem, and his own.

Later on, there is a celebration party following the poetry show. He searches for the poet, eventually finds him, and then talks to him. Concluding this quality chat, he realizes that here and now, is definitely the place in which he belongs.

Now as he thinks back, he accepts the fact that he needs to be with these poets, and they need him in their lives too. He perceives that he was sensible to make the decision of moving to New York City, although he misses Ann Arbour quite a bit.

"Hall of Mirrors" was found on the "Poetry in Voice" website.