Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Howard Nemerov's poem "Succession" explores themes of transience, identity, and the weight of inheritance through the lens of a newly occupied room that once belonged to a priest. The poem intricately weaves a narrative of succession and the inevitable continuity of life, emphasizing how personal spaces retain the echoes of their past occupants while seamlessly accommodating new ones.

The poem opens with a description of the room as "furnished and clean," emphasizing its current state of neutrality and preparedness for a new tenant. This room, however, does not reveal the "traces of another tenancy," thereby masking its history and creating a facade of calm. This concealment invites speculation and contemplation about the previous occupant, hinted at by the woman lingering by the door, who subtly alludes to the priest who "went away."

The ambiguity surrounding the priest's departure—whether he died or simply left—adds a layer of mystery. The speaker imagines the priest's routine, vividly depicting him returning at night, removing his collar, and lying on the brass bedstead. The description of his "naked feet incongruously white" against the "icy light" evokes a sense of vulnerability and the stark reality of human frailty. This imagined scene paints a poignant picture of the priest's solitary existence, marked by moments of respite and the routine consumption of humble meals like onion soup and bread.

Despite this vivid imagination, the speaker acknowledges the inability to see the priest's face, symbolizing the limits of understanding and the partial nature of our grasp on the past. The room, now awaiting the new tenant, is ready to absorb and reflect their presence, as suggested by the "sycophantic glass" behind the door that would frame and mirror the new occupant without preserving any memory of the past. This glass, reflecting only the present, symbolizes the ephemeral nature of human occupancy and the relentless march of time.

The speaker anticipates an intimate yet hollow familiarity with the room's elements—wallpaper, closet, bureau, and bed—each taking stock of the "bled / Stuff of your life." This ceaseless inventory underscores the cyclical nature of life and the continuous imprinting of new memories over old ones. The poem captures the haunting presence of the former priest, whose cries of "vanity and hell" echo in the speaker's mind, casting a shadow of existential dread and the futility of earthly pursuits.

The poem draws a parallel between the speaker and the priest, both metaphorically usurping the space like "kings of Egypt" who dream of death yet expect their subjects to serve them in the afterlife. This comparison highlights the human desire to impose order and significance on one's environment, even in the face of mortality and the transient nature of life.

In the final lines, the speaker contemplates the act of making the room a "kind of home" by attending to its minor imperfections—straightening the window blind, silencing the dripping tap—striving to maintain the room's composed appearance. The "furnished room, the garment without seam" becomes a metaphor for an idealized, undisturbed state, embodying a desire for permanence and stability in a world of constant change.

"Succession" is a profound meditation on the ephemeral nature of human existence, the continuity of life, and the ways in which personal spaces bear witness to the lives of their occupants. Nemerov masterfully captures the tension between the past and present, the seen and unseen, and the enduring quest for meaning and identity within the transient spaces we inhabit.

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