Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

In "Stare of the Man from the Provinces," Howard Nemerov presents a vivid and surreal depiction of a metropolis teeming with both splendor and underlying disquiet. The poem contrasts the seemingly perpetual charm of urban life with the hidden, darker aspects that emerge when the city's façade fades. Through rich imagery and a blend of the whimsical and the ominous, Nemerov explores themes of illusion, superficiality, and the inevitable confrontation with inner truths.

The poem opens with a striking image: "In the metropolis of hooligans / Sweet May reigneth forever." This line juxtaposes the timeless beauty of May with the unruly presence of "hooligans," suggesting a city where chaos and charm coexist. The perpetual "Sweet May" implies a superficial, never-ending springtime, masking the city's deeper realities.

Nemerov then evokes a surreal auditory and visual experience: "Do you hear / The pale chitter of china wings in windows? / Glass parakeets preen and silently shrill." The "china wings" and "glass parakeets" symbolize fragile, artificial beauty. These decorative elements create an eerie atmosphere, emphasizing the city's focus on appearances over substance. The silent shrilling of the glass birds underscores the idea of beauty that is more show than reality.

The poem continues with images of luxury and decadence: "The perfumes of hooligan ladies spill / An old delight upon the ground, their shadows / Couple inconsequentially everywhere." Here, the "hooligan ladies" exude an aura of faded elegance, their perfumes reminiscent of past pleasures. The shadows "couple inconsequentially," hinting at fleeting, meaningless connections that pervade the city's social scene.

Peacocks, symbols of pride and vanity, further illustrate the city's obsession with appearance: "Peacocks in windows spread up their proud fans. / Indeed the city coruscates with eyes / Both bold and proud, of dames and gentlemen." The peacocks' fans, displayed in windows, and the "bold and proud" eyes of the city's inhabitants highlight a society fixated on external splendor and self-importance.

Nemerov describes the city's inhabitants as "flowerlike upon their haughty stalks," suggesting their delicate yet proud nature. These urban denizens "bulge at the perfect springtime of the streets," reveling in the eternal, artificial spring that characterizes the city. However, this perfection is deceptive, masking the deeper, more troubling aspects of urban life.

The poem's tone shifts as night falls: "Only at night, between the snowy sheets / Resting infected feet from pleasant walks, / All eyelids close, confine the citizen / Within the echoing caverns of his eyes." The comforting, pristine "snowy sheets" contrast with the "infected feet," indicating that the day's pleasantness is marred by underlying decay. The citizens, now confined within themselves, face their own inner landscapes.

Nighttime brings a reckoning: "At night all hooligans in lonely bed / Must suffer cry of birds they had thought dead. / And diamond beak, unfashionable nails / Tear at the eyes until in sleep sight fails." The once-beautiful glass birds now haunt the city's inhabitants, their cries piercing the silence. The "diamond beak" and "unfashionable nails" suggest that the city's focus on superficial beauty has left deep, painful marks on its people. The phrase "in sleep sight fails" implies that true insight comes only when the illusions of the day are stripped away, revealing the harsh truths that lie beneath.

"Stare of the Man from the Provinces" by Howard Nemerov masterfully captures the dual nature of urban life, where surface beauty conceals deeper discontent. Through evocative imagery and a blend of the whimsical and the unsettling, Nemerov explores the illusions that cities create and the inevitable confrontation with inner truths that occurs when these illusions fade. The poem serves as a poignant reminder of the fragility of appearances and the enduring presence of the darker aspects of human experience.

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