John Ashbery poem on the Irene Hixon Whitney Bridge in Minneapolis

The John Ashbery poem on the lintels of Irene Hixon Whitney bridge in Minneapolis.

Crossing the bridge from the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden east to Loring Park, the poem can be read on the left-hand side of the bridge. The poem is also written on the other side for those crossing the bridge in the other direction; the lines overlap slightly in the center of the bridge.

The spoon sculpture is Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggens "Spoonbridge and Cherry" at the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden next to the Walker Art Center.

The poem:

And now I cannot remember how I would
have had it. It is not a conduit (confluence?) but a place.
The place, of movement and an order.
The place of old order.
But the tail end of the movement is new.
Driving us to say what we are thinking.
It is so much like a beach after all, where you stand
and think of going no further.
And it is good when you get to no further.
It is like a reason that picks you up and
places you where you always wanted to be.
This far, it is fair to be crossing, to have crossed.
Then there is no promise in the other.
Here it is. Steel and air, a mottled presence,
small panacea
and lucky for us.
And then it got very cool.

John Ashbery

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[robi0199]

Thanks!