Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

John Frederick Nims’ "Anacreon’s Answer" is a compact and witty poem that channels the spirit of Anacreon, the ancient Greek lyric poet known for his celebration of love, wine, and the pleasures of life. The poem takes the form of a brief dialogue, with a rhetorical question followed by a sharp, paradoxical response. In doing so, Nims captures both the playful defiance of age and the insistence that life is measured not in years but in vitality.

The opening lines establish the critical voice: "No sense of age? These white hairs on your head, / You take this gold and pink thing to your bed?" This external voice, presumably belonging to a judgmental observer, frames the poem’s central conflict: the contrast between physical age (marked by "white hairs") and youthful passion (embodied in the "gold and pink" lover). The phrase "No sense of age?" implies both disbelief and admonishment, as if the speaker finds it inappropriate or absurd that an older man would still pursue romantic and sensual pleasures. The phrase "gold and pink thing" is deliberately dismissive, reducing the lover to a mere object of youthful allure, but it also evokes something radiant and desirable—qualities traditionally opposed to old age.

Anacreon’s retort in the final three lines dismantles the premise of the criticism with a bold redefinition of age:
"Of age? For men, two sorts alone are doled: / The dead years. The alive years, white or gold. / I and the pink thing are alive-years-old."
Here, age is no longer conceived as a linear progression marked by physical changes; rather, it is divided into two absolute categories: "The dead years" and "The alive years." This dichotomy suggests that what truly matters is not the number of years one has lived but whether one is still living. The phrase "white or gold" collapses the distinction between old age (white-haired) and youth (golden-haired), asserting that both can belong equally to "the alive years." The final line delivers the ultimate coup: "I and the pink thing are alive-years-old." In this phrasing, the speaker refuses to be categorized by conventional age labels. Instead, he aligns himself and his youthful lover in the same category of those who are still vibrantly engaged with life.

The poem's form—short, sharp, and epigrammatic—recalls the ancient Greek tradition of pithy, aphoristic verse. Like Anacreon’s own poetry, it is light-hearted but pointed, playful but profound. The use of dialogue enhances the effect, allowing the speaker’s witty response to serve as both a personal declaration and a universal philosophy. The final line, with its rhythmic flourish, lands like a triumphant punchline, encapsulating an entire worldview in a single phrase.

At its core, "Anacreon’s Answer" celebrates an Epicurean embrace of pleasure and a rejection of societal constraints on aging. It defies the assumption that passion, love, and joy belong only to the young. Nims, through Anacreon, reminds us that the only true measure of age is whether one continues to live fully. The poem’s wit and compact brilliance make it a fitting tribute to the Greek poet it invokes, ensuring that Anacreon’s philosophy endures in a modern voice.

Copyright (c) 2025 PoetryExplorer

Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!

Other Poems of Interest...