James Wright comments on life in an American steel town with his poem "Autumn Begins in Martins Ferry, Ohio." Using free
verse, Wright is nonetheless able to imbue the poem with flowing cadence. The paper shows how the poet offers his readers a glimpse into a small segment of Americana, while at the same time delivering universal human truths. The paper shows how "Autumn Begins" is an observation of the crowd and activity at a high school football game. In the first
stanza, the
narrator muses about the various minority groups in Martins Ferry. The second stanza is devoted to the state of affairs of American family life and the state of mind of the wives at home. Finally, the third stanza depicts the young athletes, who play an aggressive sport that mimics their father's hard work. The paper shows that "Autumn Begins in Martins Ferry, Ohio" combines modern poetic devices and a somber tone to convey life in Middle America.