
E-text prepared by Juliet Sutherland
A PUSHCART AT THE CURB
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
WINTER IN CASTILE
NIGHTS AT BASSANO - I DIRGE OF THE EMPRESS TAITU OF ABYSSINIA
VAGONES DE TERCERA - Refrain
QUAI DE LA TOURNELLE - I
ON FOREIGN TRAVEL - I
PHASES OF THE MOON - I
In this lyrical tour, the poet rolls a humble pushcart through bustling plazas, alleyways, and cafés, offering a glimpse of everyday life that feels both intimate and universal. The verses move like a rattling cart over cobblestones, each stop delivering fresh sights, scents, and sounds. The collection invites listeners to travel alongside a lively chorus of market‑goers, musicians, and strangers.
Vivid scenes unfold: blind musicians navigate stone streets, their violins and flutes echoing against pastel balconies; a boy grinds coffee in a sun‑lit courtyard, the aroma mingling with the clatter of tram wheels; and women in a Madrid square sell tuberoses, their perfume lingering over a day‑of‑the‑dead procession. The poet’s eye lingers on ordinary details, turning them into small epics.
Listening feels like a stroll through a living museum, each stanza opening onto a new street corner. The rhythm moves at a measured pace, echoing the pushcart’s slow roll and occasional jolt. Whether attracted by the scent of oranges, the grind of coffee, or a mournful panpipe, the poems weave a vivid sensory tapestry.
Language
en
Duration
~1 hours (95K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Release date
2010-06-11
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
Subjects

1896–1970
Best known for the bold, restless U.S.A. trilogy, this American novelist captured the energy and contradictions of modern life with a style that mixed fiction, journalism, and social observation. He was also part of the Lost Generation, alongside other major writers shaped by World War I and the upheavals that followed.
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