Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Howard Nemerov’s poem "Truth of the Matter" presents a critical examination of how the media presents reality and how people consume and interpret these representations of truth. Through vivid imagery and sharp irony, Nemerov explores the disconnection between the reported events and the readers' lives, highlighting the paradoxical relationship between knowing and understanding, and the ways in which significant truths are often rendered trivial by the very medium that conveys them.

The poem begins with a stark announcement: "The Sunday papers are on the streets." This sets the stage for the barrage of news items that follow, encapsulating the world's tragedies and oddities. The line "Several people starved in Bucharest" is presented with a detached tone, reflecting the impersonal manner in which such serious news is often consumed. The reader is urged to "Read (because the truth is black and white) / The truth," a statement that immediately suggests the superficiality of this black-and-white understanding of truth, which lacks depth and nuance.

Nemerov uses the contrast between the black ink and white paper to symbolize the simplicity and reductionism of print media. "As much the black as the white that / One reads, construing the letters," emphasizes that reading involves interpreting not just the written words but the spaces between them, the context and subtext that often go unnoticed. The human faces captured in these news stories are "gray as / Old bread," suggesting a lifelessness and staleness, a far cry from the vibrant realities of those lives.

The poem describes the images of people caught by the camera in moments of suffering or despair, their faces made "gray" by both the literal gloom of their circumstances and the metaphorical grayness of their depiction in the media. These "gray faces" on a "gray day" under a "sky that seems to be raining" create a bleak and monotonous visual that underscores the uniformity and desensitization of news consumption.

Nemerov juxtaposes these grim realities with the comfortable detachment of the citizen in Chicago, who "thanks his God he is not / In Posnan or Allenstein or Belgrade." This contrast highlights the privilege and distance that allows readers to feel momentarily grateful without engaging deeply with the suffering reported. The world’s tragedies, encapsulated in headlines and photographs, become just another part of the routine.

The poem then shifts to a bizarre piece of news: "A person with a flaming sword has been / Arrested in the rain, in Schenectady." This absurdity serves to illustrate the sensationalism often present in the media, diverting attention from more pressing issues. Such stories can overshadow the real, critical events, reducing the serious to the level of the ridiculous.

As the week progresses, the "truth" that seemed so significant on Sunday diminishes. "On Monday morning the truth comes / In smaller packages, neat and pale / With a brand of words over the brow." The news becomes more condensed and less impactful, symbolizing how quickly public interest fades. The "wisdom of Sunday / Drifts on the gutter tides," suggesting that what was once considered important is quickly forgotten, washed away by the daily flow of new information.

The final image of "The pale, / The staring faces, twirl around and go down" poignantly captures the transient nature of media attention. The faces that once demanded empathy and action become just another part of the ephemeral news cycle, sinking into obscurity.

"Truth of the Matter" by Howard Nemerov critiques the superficial consumption of news and the ephemeral nature of media-driven truth. Through its vivid imagery and ironic tone, the poem calls into question the integrity of how information is conveyed and received, highlighting the gap between knowing about suffering and truly understanding it. Nemerov’s poem urges readers to look beyond the surface and consider the deeper implications of the stories that shape our understanding of the world.

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