hinzadw – Page 37 – sunrise in a small city

surface tension

among the trumpeting morns
severe beauty from functional design
changes in the internal energy of a liquid that solidifies and cools
molten lead like freezing rain.
a body in the suns warmth
flying

shot tower at sunrise — (the shot tower was completed in 1828)

father canton

stockjobbers request your presence
near the pilings in the sediment
to build load and unload.
until they wash out to sea

dockside at sunrise — (the canton company was incorporated in 1829)

suspended plankton

warranted for any voyage or climate
most delicate animal substances for sea stores and inland consumption
served up at any moment

from rash field at sunrise — (the canning industry was pioneered in federal hill starting in 1826)

for the promotion of the mechanic arts

manufacturers artizans fostering exalting inventive genius
increase trade business and commercial mart
blending colors richly and well
designing chastely and architecturally.
some thousands may promenade the handsome galleries

saint paul and lexington south at sunrise — (the maryland institute was charted in 1825 and began meeting at the athenaeum on lexington and saint paul streets)

january 5 1826

see the day when ignorance will its adherents lose and bigotry its disciples
newfangledisms
with enterprise and capital

baltimore street at surise — (the maryland legislature passed the jew bill in 1826)

flesh-eating stone

the lady
standing on the fascis column
doesn’t see the rising or the setting sun

battle monument at sunrise — (the battle monument was completed in 1822)

truman pratts orchard

here an hundred converts
a noble army of light arrayed
here is another hundred
pillars
another hundred rising
cedars
growing in the dross

orchard street at sunrise — (truman pratt held prayer meetings at his house starting in 1825 and helped found the orchard street united methodist church in 1837)

born from violence and blood

the stone in the wall cries out
and the beam answers
from boot black cellars and house to house
an altar of regeneration forgiveness communication revelation and charity
shares without prejudice.
all creatures here below

gay street at sunrise — (in 1817 the bethel congregation of the african methodist episcopal church moved to a three-story brick building on fish street, saratoga west of gay)

sprites

watchmen asleep or in reverie
disregard the black bears and horses
golden lambs and white swans
native queens and general wayne
levitating half-lit globes and hands
hovering in the dark streets
among quiet fountains.
one teamster trundles through
three riders trot separate ways
a boy leads horses around from an alley
reckoning on a rising sun.
a crescendo
of covered wagons riders coaches carts
carriers fetchers trompers striders
seems loud and real

baltimore and light at sunrise — (wagons and country inns predominated baltimore streets into the 1830s)

volunteer independent

rivals and factions
mechanical union friendship deptford liberty
federal independent vigilant new market
columbian first baltimore united fells point franklin
washington patapsco howard watchman lafayette
monumental pioneer western mount vernon
united.
woodframes and roaring flames
pellmell and terror
lighted windows and leather buckets and lanemen
white hatted officers axe hook and ladder men
sooty sweeps climbing to the sky.
street fights of children following engines home
hooting for their companies with fists sticks stones and missiles
brawling and letting blood.
fires fought and conquered with zeal and daring
resolve that however valuable as a fireman a member may be
if he is constitutionally turbulent and quarrelsome
it were better to dispense with his services

firehouse at sunrise — (the site of the independent fire company, started in 1819, remains on gay and ensor streets)