Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Howard Nemerov's poem "Trees" presents a reflective meditation on the nature and significance of trees, emphasizing their silent, steady presence and their profound impact on human understanding. Through rich imagery and contemplative language, Nemerov explores the contrast between the grandeur of trees and their quiet, unassuming existence, highlighting the lessons they offer about the natural world and our own lives.

The poem opens with the striking assertion: "To be a giant and keep quiet about it," setting the tone for the exploration of the majestic yet humble nature of trees. Trees, despite their immense size and significance, remain rooted in their place, embodying a constant process of growth and change while appearing unchanged. This paradox of steadiness and perpetual motion is captured in the lines: "To be steady as a rock and always trembling, / Having the hard appearance of death / With the soft, fluent nature of growth."

Nemerov delves into the dualities that define trees: their deceptive armor of being and their vulnerable becoming. This duality underscores the trees' resilience and adaptability, symbolizing a balance between strength and fragility. Trees "take the light so well," thriving on the very elements that shape and nourish them, and in doing so, they offer "forbidden knowledge / Of so many things about heaven and earth / For which we should otherwise have no word." This knowledge, derived from observing the natural world, enriches human understanding in ways that language often cannot fully capture.

The poem contrasts trees with poems and people, noting that the latter often strive to articulate their purpose and beliefs explicitly. In contrast, trees exemplify their essence through silent presence. This distinction is highlighted in the lines: "Poems or people are rarely so lovely, / And even when they have great qualities / They tend to tell you rather than exemplify / What they believe themselves to be about." Trees, in their silent eloquence, invite us to draw our own conclusions about the nature of existence.

Nemerov emphasizes the continuous, unnoticed influence of trees, likening their presence to the sustenance of breath. Whether in "storm or calm, in leaf and naked," trees remain a constant source of reflection and insight. The concluding lines, "And perilous also—though there has never been / A critical tree—about the nature of things," suggest that while trees do not judge or critique, they nonetheless prompt deep and sometimes unsettling reflections on the world and our place within it.

In "Trees," Howard Nemerov celebrates the quiet majesty and profound wisdom embodied by trees. The poem invites readers to appreciate the silent yet powerful lessons offered by nature, contrasting these with the more overt expressions of human art and thought. Through its contemplative tone and rich imagery, the poem underscores the value of observation and reflection, encouraging a deeper connection with the natural world and its inherent truths.

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