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Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained | |||
"Epigram: 6. Political Reflexion" by Howard Nemerov is a witty and pointed commentary on the dynamics of power and survival. Through the voice of a sparrow in a zoo, Nemerov explores themes of freedom, cunning, and the relative nature of confinement. The poem opens with the sparrow's observation: "No bars are set too close, no mesh too fine / To keep me from the eagle and the lion." This line establishes the setting of the zoo and highlights the sparrow's ability to move freely despite the confines that restrict the more powerful animals. The sparrow's freedom is contrasted with the captivity of the eagle and the lion, symbols of strength and dominance, who are contained by physical barriers. The next line, "Whom keepers feed that I may freely dine," underscores the sparrow's cunning use of the zoo's hierarchy. While the eagle and the lion are fed by the keepers, the sparrow benefits indirectly, scavenging and surviving off what is provided to the more prestigious animals. This relationship hints at a parasitic dynamic, where the smaller and seemingly insignificant creature thrives by exploiting the resources allocated to the more powerful. Nemerov then delivers a sharp moral: "This goes to show that if you have the wit / To be small, common, cute, and live on shit," suggesting that survival and even thriving within a system of oppression or confinement can be achieved through adaptability and cunning. The sparrow's qualities—being small, common, and able to subsist on minimal and often disregarded resources—are presented as advantageous traits in navigating a world where power is often synonymous with vulnerability. The closing line, "Though the cage fret kings, you may make free with it," encapsulates the epigram's central irony. The powerful (the kings) are constrained by the very systems that sustain their power (the cage), while the unassuming sparrow enjoys a degree of freedom within the same system. This paradox highlights the idea that true freedom and security may not lie in power and dominance but in flexibility, adaptability, and the ability to exploit opportunities within the constraints imposed by others. Through its concise and clever language, "Epigram: 6. Political Reflexion" offers a profound reflection on societal structures and the nature of freedom. Nemerov's use of the zoo as a microcosm for human political systems allows for a nuanced critique of how power operates and how those at the margins can navigate and sometimes subvert these structures. The poem invites readers to reconsider assumptions about strength, vulnerability, and the means to achieve autonomy in a world defined by hierarchy and control.
| Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...SNOW LEOPARDS AT THE DENVER ZOO by WILLIAM MATTHEWS THE SARAJEVO ZOO by GLYN MAXWELL PETE AT THE ZOO by GWENDOLYN BROOKS THE ST. LOUIS ZOO by CAROL FROST THE HOOLIGAN ZOO by PETER JOHNSON AT THE ZOO IN SPAIN by CLARENCE MAJOR CLOSING TIME AT THE SAN DIEGO ZOO by KAREN SWENSON BEAUTY AND THE BEAST by ELEANOR WILNER THOUGHTS IN A ZOO by COUNTEE CULLEN TREAD THE DARK: 51 by DAVID IGNATOW |
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