Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Howard Nemerov’s poem "Capitals" offers a witty and incisive critique of the transformation that occurs when common nouns are elevated to proper nouns, exploring how this shift imbues them with a sense of superiority and detachment from their original meanings. Through clever wordplay and examples, Nemerov delves into the implications of this linguistic change, touching on themes of power, identity, and the distortion of meaning.

The poem begins by observing the metamorphosis of a "common noun" into a "Proper One." This transformation is likened to adding "an invisible de or von," referencing the aristocratic prefixes that denote nobility and higher social status. This analogy sets the stage for Nemerov's exploration of how linguistic elevation can lead to a sense of superiority and a loss of connection to one's origins.

Nemerov humorously notes that once a noun becomes a proper noun, it "gets uppity, forgets its former friends / And can't remember even what it means." This personification suggests that the noun, now elevated, loses its grounding and becomes disconnected from its humble beginnings and original context. The use of "uppity" conveys a sense of arrogance and self-importance that accompanies this change in status.

The poem then provides specific examples to illustrate this phenomenon. "Look at intelligence. It went that way / As soon as ever it joined the CIA." Here, Nemerov plays on the dual meaning of "intelligence," referring both to the quality of being intelligent and to the information gathered by the Central Intelligence Agency. By capitalizing "intelligence" in the context of the CIA, the word takes on a new, more specialized meaning, distancing itself from its broader, more inclusive sense.

Nemerov extends this critique to the realm of the divine, noting how "the even dozen gods themselves turned odd / The minute they got upped in grade to God." This line highlights how the elevation of multiple deities (gods) to a singular, capitalized "God" not only changes their status but also fundamentally alters their nature and relationship to humanity. The plural "gods" suggests a pantheon of diverse, relatable entities, whereas the singular "God" denotes a singular, supreme being that is more abstract and removed from the multiplicity of human experience.

Through these examples, Nemerov underscores the idea that the process of capitalization can strip words of their original richness and complexity, reducing them to more rigid and detached concepts. The shift from common to proper noun is portrayed as a loss of meaning and connection, where the newly elevated terms become "odd" and estranged from their former selves.

In "Capitals," Howard Nemerov skillfully uses humor and linguistic insight to explore the implications of elevating common nouns to proper nouns. By highlighting the changes in meaning and the resulting sense of superiority, the poem invites readers to reflect on how language shapes our perceptions of power and identity. Nemerov's critique serves as a reminder of the fluidity of meaning and the potential pitfalls of linguistic elevation, encouraging a more nuanced understanding of the words we use and the concepts they represent.

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