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Gondolas Quote by Joseph Brodsky

“It really does look like musical sheets, frayed at the edges, constantly played, coming to you in tidal scores, in bars of canals with innumerable obbligati of bridges, mullioned windows, or curved crownings of Coducci cathedrals, not to mention the violin necks of gondolas. In fact, the whole…” quote by Joseph Brodsky
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““It really does look like musical sheets, frayed at the edges, constantly played, coming to you in tidal scores, in bars of canals with innumerable obbligati of bridges, mullioned windows, or curved crownings of Coducci cathedrals, not to mention the violin necks of gondolas. In fact, the whole city, especially at night, resembles a gigantic orchestra, with dimly lit music stands of palazzi, with a restless chorus of waves, with the falsetto of a star in the winter sky.””

Joseph Brodsky

About This Quote

Source Poem: 1995, “The City” in collection “Collected Poems”, Joseph Brodsky

He likens a nocturnal city to a vast, complex orchestra of sounds and structures

In simple terms: The city at night feels like music made of architecture and water

Key Takeaway

Listen to the city’s nocturnal symphony

Themes

poetry city night

Mood

evocative melancholic

Type

literary descriptive

When to use this quote

  • urban exploration
  • night walks
  • creative writing

Key Concepts

metaphor sensory imagery

Questions to Reflect On

  • What emotions does the city’s nightscape evoke?
  • How does music shape our perception of place?
A Different Perspective

The metaphor may romanticize urban challenges, overlooking hardships

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