West Side Story Poem by Elia Michael

I was watching West Side Story
And was gob smacked by its freshness
It’s over half a century
Old yet it has such directness

The opening is breathtaking
New York seen from high up above
Later we notice heartbreaking
Scenes, a tragic story of love

It is not set in Italy
The characters are not noble
But it has a reality
And an appeal that is global

It is of course based on Shakespeare
His Romeo and Juliet
And throughout this is very clear
For instance, the balcony set

I watched the Jets and Sharks dancing
Some good actors were taught to dance
Some good dancers were taught acting
I watched and was put into trance

I listened to Leonard Bernstein
His music was rhythmic and raw
But sometimes it tingled your spine
Sung so sweetly and without flaw

The lyrics are Stephen Sondheim’s
Robbins' the choreography
It’s a musical for all times
Whatever its geography

Arthur Laurents was the playwright
He also wrote The Way We Were
He got his love stories just right
But it's West Side which I prefer

Jerome Robbins and Robert Wise
Were the musical's directors
And the story seen through their eyes
Was given life by the actors

My praises could go on and on
I must congratulate Miss Wood
George Chakiris as well upon
This musical from Hollywood