Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Howard Nemerov's poem "Old Days" reflects on the passage of time and the changes in societal practices, specifically focusing on the shift in the end of Daylight Saving Time and its broader implications. The poem intertwines personal nostalgia with a contemplation of temporal and existential questions, creating a reflective and somewhat melancholic tone.

The poem opens with a nostalgic recollection of how "Daylight Saving used to end / Near Halloween," situating the reader in a time when this transition marked a clear shift in seasons. The mention of Halloween, "just at the fall of leaf," evokes a vivid image of autumn and its associated changes. This seasonal context sets the stage for a meditation on endings, both literal and metaphorical.

Nemerov then describes the period when "all the gardens died" and the days of "All Saints, All Souls." These references to traditional days of remembrance and mourning further deepen the poem's contemplative mood, linking the end of Daylight Saving Time with themes of mortality and loss. The "solemn first few days of getting used / To the sudden darkness bringing winter down" captures the physical and emotional adjustment required as daylight diminishes and winter approaches. This transition affects everyone, "the grown-ups driving home from work" and "the children kicking home through drifts of leaf," emphasizing a universal experience.

The poem takes a turn with the line "This year the hour lost will stay away," introducing the idea that the lost hour from Daylight Saving Time remains out of reach, "Kept out of time in some space of its own." This concept of the missing hour existing in a separate, undefined space raises intriguing philosophical questions about the nature of time and its manipulation. The poet wonders, "Will those who die fall sixty minutes short / Of what was owed?" This line poignantly connects the abstract concept of lost time with the very real human concern of life’s brevity and the idea of unfulfilled potential or incomplete existence.

Nemerov's inquiry, "Where is that hour now, / What is its weather, is it dark or day?" leaves the reader with an open-ended question that invites deeper reflection. The hour's ambiguous status—whether it is "dark or day"—serves as a metaphor for the uncertainty and mystery that surrounds the passage of time and our understanding of it. This final question encapsulates the poem's central themes of loss, change, and the passage of time, leaving a lingering sense of wonder and introspection.

Structurally, the poem flows with a rhythmic cadence that mirrors the natural cycles it describes. The imagery of autumn, with its "drifts of leaf" and "sudden darkness," creates a vivid backdrop against which the more abstract considerations of time and existence play out. Nemerov's language is both precise and evocative, drawing the reader into a shared experience of transition and the contemplation of what lies beyond the immediate and tangible.

"Old Days" by Howard Nemerov is a deeply reflective poem that uses the familiar practice of Daylight Saving Time as a lens through which to explore broader themes of time, loss, and change. Through its rich imagery and contemplative tone, the poem invites readers to consider how the passage of time affects our lives and the mysterious nature of those fleeting moments that seem to slip away, yet remain ever-present in our consciousness.

Copyright (c) 2025 PoetryExplorer

Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!

Other Poems of Interest...