A poem or story might map a city physically, as it describes or explains the area for those unfamiliar with that area. It might refer to specific locations in specific cities and explain how the people had an effect on those locations, or how the buildings and parks in those locations had an effect on the people living there. It might map a city abstractly, as it talks about patterns of pedestrians, public and private spaces and what insights and removals a view of the city from a tall building might offer. 

 

In Ross Gay's poetry, the city is primarily mapped emotionally. There are physical locations mentioned, and in the case of To the Fig Tree on 9th and Christian, the location is central to the meaning of the poem. Locations serve to orient the reader in the city of Philadelphia, and if they are familiar with the area, it can include them in the poetry the way one might include a friend or family member in discussion. If the poetry was more dependant upon physical mapping, readers unfamiliar with the city would find themselves left out and they would not be able to understand. Gay's poetry mentions the physical just enough to give the poetry context, but then focuses on the emotional and the abstract, which readers of all locations could understand and see, as they could understand pedestrian patterns or a view from a tall building. 

 

Physically, Ross Gay shows us which communities in the city of Philadelphia he is writing about. Emotionally, he is writing about love and about human connection. Abstractly, he is writing about how violence and fear in cities sometimes crushes that love and connection. As we read Ross Gay's poetry, we understand its implications for the communities mentioned better if we know the physical locations written about. However, we still all understand love and fear and community. We all are able to view those things from up high while reading Ross Gay's poetry.