Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Howard Nemerov's poem "Moment" is a contemplative exploration of time, capturing the essence of the present through a series of vivid and diverse images. The poem delves into the universality of the "now," suggesting that this singular moment encompasses all experiences, from the cosmic to the mundane.

The poem opens with a striking image: "Now, starflake frozen on the windowpane / All of a winter night." This sets the stage for a meditation on time, as the starflake—both a part of the natural world and a metaphor for a moment frozen in time—symbolizes the stillness and permanence of the present. The "open hearth / Blazing beyond Andromeda" contrasts the intimate, earthly scene with the vastness of the universe, bridging the gap between the personal and the cosmic.

Nemerov continues to weave together disparate elements of nature and human experience: "the sea-Anemone / and the downwind seed." These images of life and growth further emphasize the omnipresence of the moment, showing how it touches all aspects of existence. The phrase "O moment / Hastening, halting in a clockwise dust" captures the paradox of time's movement—both rapid and slow, dynamic and still.

The poem then shifts to more human-centric imagery, highlighting the constant presence of "now" in various settings: "The time in all the hospitals is now, / Under the arc-lights where the sentry walks / His lonely wall it never moves from now." These lines evoke a sense of universality, suggesting that in places of care, duty, and isolation, the present moment remains unchanging and perpetual.

Nemerov continues to emphasize the inescapable nature of the present: "The crying in the cell is also now, / And now is quiet in the tomb as now / Explodes inside the sun." These contrasting images of suffering, death, and cosmic violence all occur within the same temporal framework, reinforcing the idea that "now" encompasses all facets of existence.

The poem culminates in a series of powerful, expansive images: "in the saddle of space, where argosies of dust / Sail outward blazing, and the mind of God, / The flash across the gap of being, thinks / In the instant absence of forever: now." Here, Nemerov extends the concept of the moment to the farthest reaches of space and the divine. The "argosies of dust" sailing through space suggest both the vastness of the universe and the minuteness of its components, while the "mind of God" thinking "in the instant absence of forever" posits a timeless, divine consciousness that perceives all of existence within the eternal now.

In "Moment," Nemerov masterfully captures the essence of the present through a blend of natural, human, and cosmic imagery. The poem invites readers to reflect on the universality and permanence of the present moment, suggesting that regardless of the context—whether it be a snowflake on a windowpane, a sentry's lonely vigil, or the expansive reaches of the cosmos—the "now" remains a constant, unifying force. Through this exploration, Nemerov offers a profound meditation on time, existence, and the interconnectedness of all things within the singularity of the present.

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