The poem describes the speaker's childhood experiences with his father in two parts. In part I, the speaker is a young boy spending time with his father at a pool hall. They witness a neighbor strike his son. Part II, set ten years later, describes the speaker entering a "tented city" with others who are "born lost and cooler than heartache." The poem explores themes of violence, masculinity, and the influence of jazz music.
The poem describes the speaker's childhood experiences with his father in two parts. In part I, the speaker is a young boy spending time with his father at a pool hall. They witness a neighbor strike his son. Part II, set ten years later, describes the speaker entering a "tented city" with others who are "born lost and cooler than heartache." The poem explores themes of violence, masculinity, and the influence of jazz music.
The poem describes the speaker's childhood experiences with his father in two parts. In part I, the speaker is a young boy spending time with his father at a pool hall. They witness a neighbor strike his son. Part II, set ten years later, describes the speaker entering a "tented city" with others who are "born lost and cooler than heartache." The poem explores themes of violence, masculinity, and the influence of jazz music.