​Reading St.- John Perse on St. Clair

by Michael Ceraolo

​The low-lying city prospered for decades,
not in ignorance of the Great Lake,
but because of it;
that path ended years ago
when dreams were withdrawn in long draughts
                                                                                          Now
"DESTITUTION! Destitution!"
yet in spite of that
"strong and very beautiful works" :
portraits of jazz artists painted
on the building's wooden windows