Broadway, such as I see it now and have seen it for twenty-five years, is a ramp that was conceived by St. Thomas Aquinas while he was yet in the womb. It was meant originally to be used only by snakes and lizards, by the horned toad and the red heron, but when the great Spanish Armada was sunk the human kind wriggled out of the ketch and slopped over, creating by a sort of foul, ignominious squirm and wiggle the cunt-like cleft that runs from the Battery south to the golf links north through the dead and wormy center of Manhattan Island.

Summary

This quote by American author Henry Miller portrays his negative perspective on Broadway. Miller describes Broadway as a physical, metaphorical ramp, suggesting that it was originally intended for non-human creatures. He uses colorful and explicit language to express his contempt for the way humans have taken over this grand avenue, comparing the human invasion to a disrespectful and messy act. Miller's description implies that Broadway, once a natural and harmonious space, has been corrupted and degraded by human presence, highlighting his disdain for its transformation.

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