The Night City by W.S. Graham

<p>Production and Sound Design by Kevin Seaman</p><p>The Night City</p><p>BY W. S. GRAHAM</p><p>Unmet at Euston in a dream</p><p>Of London under Turner’s steam</p><p>Misting the iron gantries, I</p><p>Found myself running away</p><p>From Scotland into the golden city.</p><p> </p><p>I ran down Gray’s Inn Road and ran</p><p>Till I was under a black bridge.</p><p>This was me at nineteen</p><p>Late at night arriving between</p><p>The buildings of the City of London.</p><p> </p><p>And the I (O I have fallen down)</p><p>Fell in my dream beside the Bank</p><p>Of England’s wall to be, me</p><p>With my money belt of Northern ice.</p><p>I found Eliot and he said yes</p><p> </p><p>And sprang into a Holmes cab.</p><p>Boswell passed me in the fog</p><p>Going to visit Whistler who</p><p>Was with John Donne who had just seen</p><p>Paul Potts shouting on Soho Green.</p><p> </p><p>Midnight. I hear the moon</p><p>Light chiming on St Paul’s.</p><p> </p><p>The City is empty. Night</p><p>Watchmen are drinking their tea,</p><p> </p><p>The Fire had burnt out.</p><p>The Plague’s pits had closed</p><p>And gone into literature.</p><p> </p><p>Between the big buildings</p><p>I sat like a flea crouched</p><p>In the stopped works of a watch.</p>