The poem specifies that it takes place on “Lenox Avenue” (Line 4), a street that no longer exists under this name; later, it was renamed “Malcolm X Boulevard”. This is set within Harlem, a predominantly Black neighborhood which was entrenched in poverty and racial struggles. The scene in the poem is lit only by “an old gas light” (Line 5), even though other parts of the city use electricity. The emotional beauty of the music in such a space reflects the way art can overcome societal hardship.