Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Howard Nemerov’s poem "After Commencement" captures the aftermath of a graduation ceremony, using the scene to reflect on the nature of ceremonial rituals, language, and the transition from academia to the broader world. The poem’s imagery and tone convey a sense of both the solemnity and the emptiness often inherent in formal occasions.

The poem opens with a vivid image: "Across the trampled, program-littered grass / A thousand yellow chairs have broken ranks." This scene depicts the physical remnants of the ceremony, suggesting a kind of disorder and disarray now that the formal event has concluded. The "trampled" grass and scattered programs symbolize the passing of the event and the fleeting nature of its significance.

Nemerov then focuses on the "ramrod silver microphone / That stands there on the platform unaddressed." The microphone, once a tool for delivering speeches and commands, now stands idle, symbolizing the end of the ceremony and the cessation of formal addresses. The use of "ramrod" implies rigidity and formality, characteristics often associated with ceremonial speech.

The line "finished with the cliches of command" critiques the predictability and banality of the speeches typically given at such events. These "cliches of command" refer to the platitudes and conventional phrases that are often repeated, offering little genuine insight or inspiration. The speaker's tone is one of resignation, recognizing the emptiness of these words.

Nemerov invokes the concept of "ceremony" itself, lamenting its role in masking the underlying emptiness: "o ceremony, ceremony! Let / Expression be the mere formality / The day demands." Here, the poet suggests that the expressions used during the ceremony are mere formalities, fulfilling a social requirement rather than conveying meaningful content. This critique extends to the idea that such ceremonies are more about maintaining tradition than imparting wisdom.

The poem continues with a reflection on the nature of language used in these contexts: "for emptiness alone / Has generality enough to send / Yet one more generation to the world." This statement suggests that the vague, generalized nature of ceremonial language is what allows it to resonate broadly, even if it lacks substance. The "platitudes" spoken during the ceremony "become the things they are / By being uninformative and true." Nemerov acknowledges that these clichés are true in their generality, but they fail to provide specific, actionable knowledge.

The concluding lines of the poem highlight the impact of these repeated, hollow phrases: "The words that for the hundredth time today / Bounced off the sunlit stone into the past / Have made the silence deeper by degrees." The repetition of these empty words amplifies the silence that follows, underscoring the lack of meaningful communication. The "sunlit stone" evokes a sense of permanence and immutability, contrasting with the transient nature of the spoken words. This deepened silence reflects the absence of substantial guidance or direction for the graduates as they step into the world.

In "After Commencement," Howard Nemerov uses the aftermath of a graduation ceremony to explore themes of language, ritual, and the transition from formal education to real life. The poem’s imagery of disarray and idle symbols of speech highlights the superficiality of ceremonial language, while its reflective tone critiques the emptiness often inherent in such rituals. Through this meditation on the nature of ceremonial expression, Nemerov invites readers to consider the deeper implications of the words and traditions that mark significant life transitions.

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