Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Four Ages" by Howard Nemerov is a richly detailed and reflective poem that traces the evolution of human perception and communication through four distinct stages. Each age represents a shift in how humans experience and express the world, moving from a primal unity of senses to a fragmented modernity. The poem’s structure and language underscore the themes of loss, transformation, and the enduring quest for meaning.

The poem begins with the "first age of the world," characterized by a primal unity: "The first age of the world was counterpoint, / Music immediate to all the senses / Not yet exclusive in their separate realms." Here, Nemerov evokes a time when music and sensory experience were intertwined, creating a seamless and holistic perception of reality. This age is described as "wordlessly weaving the tapestried cosmos," suggesting a harmonious and intuitive understanding of the world, akin to the mythic and mystical.

However, this world is lost: "That world was lost, though echoes of it stray / On every breeze and breath." The notion of fragmented echoes implies that remnants of this primal harmony still exist but are no longer fully accessible. Nemerov references Pythagoras and Shakespeare’s Caliban to illustrate those rare individuals who could still perceive these echoes and understand the silent music of the spheres.

The second age marks the beginning of differentiation and definition: "Hard consonants began / To interrupt the seamless river of sound." Language starts to break up the primal unity, creating distinct units and separations. Words enter "the dancing-space and made it song," indicating the rise of structured language and, with it, a more analytical and less intuitive understanding of the world. Despite this shift, there remains a "keenest human intuition" of a hidden divine dimension, suggesting a persistent, though more abstract, connection to the primal unity.

In the third age, Nemerov describes a profound silence: "The music ceased to sound, and we were left / As unaccompanied and strangely alone." This age is marked by a stark absence of the earlier unity and harmony, leaving humans isolated and vulnerable, "like actors suddenly naked in a dream." Yet, in this silence, poetry emerges as a "thinner music," serving as a lament for the lost age and a testament to the human capacity for memory and imagination.

The fourth and final age represents a further decline into fragmentation and disillusionment: "The sentences break ranks, the orchestra / Has left the pit, the curtain has come down." The imagery of a theater after the performance, with actors and audience dispersing, symbolizes the end of shared illusion and the dominance of mundane, prosaic communication. This age is characterized by "common prose," which is "Informative, pedestrian and plain," and lacks the sublime qualities of earlier forms of expression. Nemerov critiques this age for being "opinionated and proud to be so," indicating a shift towards a more superficial and self-satisfied mode of discourse.

Nemerov concludes by acknowledging that this progression is mythic rather than historical: "This is not history, it is a myth." He reflects on the symbolic significance of the number four, linking it to various natural and cultural systems. The final lines return to the idea of the primal unity of the first age, where "all was counterpoint / And no one minded that nothing mattered or meant." This ending suggests a longing for the original state of harmonious being and an awareness of the arbitrary nature of the structures we impose on reality.

"Four Ages" by Howard Nemerov is a profound meditation on the evolution of human consciousness and expression. Through its exploration of mythical ages, the poem invites readers to reflect on the nature of communication, the loss of primal unity, and the search for meaning in an increasingly fragmented world. Nemerov’s use of rich imagery and philosophical insights creates a deeply engaging and thought-provoking narrative that resonates with the timeless human quest for understanding and connection.

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