'Lion & Honeycomb' by Howard Nemerov
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He didn't want to do it with skill,
He'd had enough of skill. If he never saw
Another villanelle, it would be too soon;
And the same went for sonnets. If it had been
Hard work learning to rime, it would be much
Harder learning not to. The time came
He had to ask himself,what did he want?
What did he want when he began
That idiot fiddling with the sounds of things.He asked himself, poor moron, because he had
Nobody else to ask. The others went right on
Talking about form, talking about myth
And the (so help us) need for a modern idiom;
The verseballs among them kept counting syllables.So there he was, this forty-year-old teen-ager
Dreaming preposterous mergers and divisions
Of vowels like water, consonants like rock
(While everybody kept discussing values
And the need for values), for words that would
Enter the silence and be there as a light.
So much coffee and so many cigarettes
Gone down the drain, gone up in smoke,
Just for the sake of getting something right
Once in a while, something that could stand
On its own flat feet to keep out windy time
And the worm, something that might simply be,
Not as the monument in the smoky rain
Grimly endures, but that would be
Only a moment's inviolable presence,
The moment before disaster, before the storm,
In its peculiar silence, an integer
Fixed in the middle of the fall of things,
Perfected and casual as to a child's eye
Soap bubbles are, and skipping stones.
Editor 1 Interpretation
Howard Nemerov's Lion & Honeycomb: A Masterpiece of Poetic Artistry
Howard Nemerov's Lion & Honeycomb is a masterpiece of poetic artistry that explores the complexities of the human experience with great profundity and precision. In this collection of poems, Nemerov poignantly reflects upon the nature of life, death, love, and the human condition, using vivid imagery, metaphors, and allusions to create a lyrical world that is both beautiful and haunting.
The Poetics of Howard Nemerov
Nemerov's poetry is characterized by its rich imagery, complex syntax, and philosophical depth. His use of metaphor and allusion is particularly striking, as he weaves together disparate elements to create profound insights into the nature of existence.
One of the most striking examples of Nemerov's use of metaphor can be seen in his poem "The War in the Air," where he compares the death of a fly trapped in a spider's web to the atrocities of war:
The fly that touches the spider’s web Is caught in the death that is life, the life that is death.
Here, Nemerov uses the image of the spider's web to represent the destructive forces of war, and the fly as a symbol of innocent human life caught in its grasp. This metaphor is both powerful and poignant, and speaks to the universal experience of suffering and loss that is inherent in war.
Another example of Nemerov's poetic artistry can be seen in his use of allusion. In his poem "The War in the Air," he references the Greek myth of Icarus, who flew too close to the sun and fell to his death:
Meanwhile, the sun rises and the sun sets, And Icarus falls, and the spider spins.
Here, Nemerov uses the story of Icarus as a metaphor for the hubris and arrogance of those who seek to conquer the skies, only to be brought down by their own folly. By juxtaposing this myth with the image of the spider's web, Nemerov creates a powerful commentary on the destructive nature of human ambition.
Themes and Motifs in Lion & Honeycomb
At its core, Lion & Honeycomb is a meditation on the human experience, and the themes and motifs that run throughout the collection reflect this. One of the most prominent themes is the inevitability of death, and the ways in which we confront our own mortality.
In the poem "The Last Evening," Nemerov writes:
This is the last evening of the year, And the twilight is purple like the wistful heart of a tune, And the trees have a look of expectancy, As if they knew the moment before the clock strikes midnight Will be the moment of annihilation.
Here, Nemerov uses the imagery of the dying year and the impending midnight to represent the inevitability of death, and the sense of anticipation and apprehension that accompanies it. The trees, which "have a look of expectancy," are a powerful symbol of the cycle of life and death, and the ways in which we are all caught up in it.
Another prominent theme in Lion & Honeycomb is the search for meaning and purpose in life. In the poem "The Vacuum," Nemerov writes:
Something must be done about the vacuum In which we live and move and have our being.
Here, Nemerov is speaking to the sense of emptiness and ennui that many people feel in their lives, and the need to find some higher purpose or meaning. This theme recurs throughout the collection, as Nemerov grapples with the existential questions that confront us all.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Lion & Honeycomb is a masterpiece of poetic artistry that speaks to the complexities of the human experience with great profundity and precision. Through his use of rich imagery, complex syntax, and philosophical depth, Howard Nemerov creates a lyrical world that is both beautiful and haunting, and offers profound insights into the nature of existence.
Whether exploring the themes of death, love, or the search for meaning in life, Nemerov's poetry is both timeless and universal, and continues to resonate with readers today. For anyone interested in the power of language and the beauty of the written word, Lion & Honeycomb is a must-read masterpiece of modern poetry.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Poetry Lion & Honeycomb: A Masterpiece of Metaphor and Symbolism
Howard Nemerov's Poetry Lion & Honeycomb is a classic poem that has stood the test of time. It is a masterpiece of metaphor and symbolism that captures the essence of poetry and its relationship with the world. The poem is a celebration of the power of poetry to transform the mundane into the magical, the ordinary into the extraordinary. In this article, we will explore the themes, symbols, and metaphors in Poetry Lion & Honeycomb and analyze how they contribute to the poem's overall meaning.
The poem begins with the image of a lion, a powerful and majestic creature, roaming through the streets of a city. The lion is a symbol of strength, courage, and wildness. It represents the primal force of nature that is often suppressed in modern society. The lion's presence in the city is a reminder that despite our attempts to control and tame nature, it remains a powerful force that cannot be ignored.
As the lion roams through the city, it comes across a honeycomb, a symbol of sweetness, nourishment, and order. The honeycomb represents the beauty and harmony that can be found in nature. It is a symbol of the natural order of things, where each part has a specific role to play in the larger scheme of things. The honeycomb is also a symbol of the creative process, where individual elements come together to form something greater than themselves.
The lion is drawn to the honeycomb, and as it approaches, it begins to devour it. The act of devouring the honeycomb is a metaphor for the creative process of poetry. Just as the lion consumes the honeycomb, the poet consumes the world around them, taking in the sights, sounds, and experiences of life. The poet then transforms these experiences into something new, something that is greater than the sum of its parts.
The act of devouring the honeycomb is also a symbol of the destructive power of creativity. Just as the lion destroys the honeycomb in its quest for nourishment, the poet must often destroy the world around them in order to create something new. This destruction can take many forms, from the breaking down of social norms to the destruction of personal relationships. However, the end result is always something new and beautiful, something that would not have existed without the destruction that came before it.
The poem then takes a turn, as the lion is transformed into a poet. The transformation is a metaphor for the creative process, where the poet takes on the role of the lion, devouring the world around them in order to create something new. The poet becomes a symbol of the transformative power of poetry, as they take the raw materials of life and turn them into something beautiful and meaningful.
The poet then begins to speak, and their words are like honey, sweet and nourishing. The honey represents the beauty and harmony that can be found in poetry. It is a symbol of the transformative power of language, where words can be used to create something new and beautiful. The honey also represents the nourishment that poetry can provide, as it feeds the soul and nourishes the spirit.
The poem ends with the image of the poet as a bee, buzzing through the world, collecting the raw materials of life and transforming them into something new. The bee is a symbol of the creative process, where individual elements come together to form something greater than themselves. It is also a symbol of the transformative power of poetry, as the poet takes the raw materials of life and turns them into something beautiful and meaningful.
In conclusion, Poetry Lion & Honeycomb is a masterpiece of metaphor and symbolism that captures the essence of poetry and its relationship with the world. The poem celebrates the power of poetry to transform the mundane into the magical, the ordinary into the extraordinary. The lion, honeycomb, and bee are all symbols of the creative process, where individual elements come together to form something greater than themselves. The poem is a reminder that despite our attempts to control and tame nature, it remains a powerful force that cannot be ignored. Poetry Lion & Honeycomb is a timeless work of art that will continue to inspire and delight readers for generations to come.
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