Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Eve" by Howard Nemerov offers a vivid and somewhat satirical portrayal of the consumerist rituals leading up to Christmas. The poem captures the sense of obligation, repetitiveness, and artificial cheer that often accompanies holiday shopping, presenting a critical view of how commercialism can overshadow the deeper meanings of the season.

The poem opens with a stark declaration: "There are no more shopping days to Christmas." This sets the tone of urgency and finality, indicating that the last-minute rush is upon us. The imagery of "wheeling our wire cages down / And back along the fluorescent aisles" evokes the mechanical, almost dehumanizing nature of supermarket shopping. The "wire cages" refer to shopping carts, emphasizing how people are confined within the commercial maze, driven by the need to purchase.

Nemerov describes the shoppers "prowling the maze / Of goods, by many musics played upon," suggesting that consumers are manipulated by the store's environment, with its strategic use of music and lighting to influence buying behavior. The "glaze of obligation in our eyes" reflects the sense of duty and fatigue, rather than joy or excitement, as people navigate the aisles.

The poem then focuses on the mundane and sometimes depressing details of the shopping experience: "the dozen television sets / Tuned to the same Western," "the caged birds / No one has wanted to give," and "the many / Remaining goldfish desperately marked down." These images highlight the commercial excess and the sad, neglected items that symbolize unfulfilled desires and misplaced priorities.

As the music plays "Come all ye faithful," the irony is palpable. The shoppers are depicted as marching in time, "stopping to take, put back, / And sometimes take again," reflecting the indecision and mechanical nature of their actions. The "merry wrapping paper" they buy adds to the superficiality of the proceedings, where the act of giving is reduced to a ritualistic exchange of goods.

The poem's climax occurs at the checkout counter, where the process of buying is completed. The goods are "counted / And added up and put in paper bags / By the girl we pay and get the right change from / With some green stamps." This description underscores the transactional and impersonal nature of the interaction, devoid of genuine human connection.

The final image is particularly striking and laden with irony: "A dollar bill is pinned to her left tit / Somewhere about the region of the heart." This line encapsulates the commodification of human interactions and the hollowness of the consumerist culture. The dollar bill, a symbol of monetary value, is incongruously placed near the heart, suggesting that the true spirit of the season—love, generosity, and warmth—has been displaced by the pursuit of profit and material gain.

"Eve" by Howard Nemerov is a powerful critique of the commercialization of Christmas. Through detailed and evocative imagery, the poem exposes the emptiness and routine of holiday shopping, contrasting it with the genuine human values that the season is supposed to celebrate. Nemerov's satirical tone and sharp observations invite readers to reflect on their own experiences and the ways in which consumerism can distort the meaning of the holidays.

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