Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

John Frederick Nims’ "Scherzo: Writers’ Conference, 1941" is a scathing, playful, and self-aware satire that critiques the pretensions and absurdities of the literary world, particularly the gathering of poets at a writers’ conference. The poem adopts a sharp and witty tone, casting the poet as a lover of satire—personified as a woman whose "kiss, precision-sweet" serves as an instrument of mockery. The poem follows a consistent ABAB rhyme scheme, enhancing its rhythm and giving it a lively, almost musical quality fitting for its title, "Scherzo," which in musical terms refers to a fast-moving, light, and playful piece.

The opening lines introduce satire as the poet’s muse, establishing a tone of irreverence. By declaring "Satire, the sultry lady, is my love," the speaker aligns himself with mockery and irony rather than with earnest poetic sentiment. The choice of "sultry lady" imbues satire with both allure and danger, setting the stage for the poem’s cutting observations. The poet’s mockery begins with his assertion that he comes "to bury these and not to praise them," a parody of Mark Antony’s famous line in Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar. This ironic repurposing signals that, despite the seemingly affectionate tone, the poem is a dismantling of the pomposity and self-importance found in literary circles.

The following stanzas introduce various characters attending the conference, each representing a type of literary poseur. The "local poet, champ of rime," is depicted as a self-absorbed figure, "laurelled in the latest color-schemes," suggesting that his concern for poetic achievement is overshadowed by his vanity and sense of fashion. His ambition to "stable... / His rakish Pegasus at Hollywood" mocks the desire for fame over literary integrity. This poet is not depicted as a tortured artist but as someone hoping to commercialize his talent—an ironic counterpoint to the traditional notion of the poet as a solitary genius.

The second group skewered by Nims is the audience—"aunts and neighbors, lush with lace," who should be "home and putting up preserves." This caricature of middle-class readers suggests that poetry, in their hands, is more of an aesthetic indulgence than a serious art. The phrase "lap the milk of beauty up like cats" reduces their engagement with poetry to a passive, self-indulgent act rather than a rigorous intellectual pursuit. The suggestion that these attendees "adjust their psyches and their hats" before consuming poetry further satirizes their performative engagement with literature, implying that they see it as more of a social activity than an intellectual or emotional experience.

Next, Nims ridicules the "solemn men"—those who take themselves too seriously, "warm in tweed," sweating both from their own self-importance and from their rigid commitment to poetic tradition. These figures "Rooster the flock; in scrawny nests of fame / They on the eggs of ancient counsel set." The rooster metaphor paints them as puffed-up and self-important, while the image of incubating "eggs of ancient counsel" mocks their reliance on outdated wisdom, suggesting that they do not create anything new but merely rehash old ideas. The following lines juxtapose the poetic advice "soak self in loveliness" with the examples of Dante and Catullus, who soaked themselves in vastly different muses—God and wine, respectively. This humorous contrast implies that the poetic ideal of "loveliness" is nebulous and subjective, and that poetic greatness often emerges from obsessions or excesses rather than from mere aesthetic appreciation.

The final stanza elevates poetry itself to the level of a dangerous beast. Rather than portraying poetry as a delicate and refined pursuit, Nims describes it as something predatory, almost monstrous: "This poetry, austere and cunning brute, / Scours on fierce wing the loneliest sky above." The metaphor suggests that true poetry is not a comfortable or domesticated art but a wild and untamable force. The phrase "Lurks with hot eye in the dank wood of love" evokes both the dangers of passion and the unpredictable nature of artistic inspiration. The warning in the closing couplet—"Think twice before you take this beast to bed: / They find you in the morning raped and dead."—is both darkly humorous and strikingly ominous. Here, poetry is not merely a pursuit but a force that can consume and destroy those who underestimate its power.

The poem’s title, "Scherzo: Writers’ Conference, 1941," frames the piece as a playful yet biting satire. The term "scherzo" (Italian for "joke" or "jest") suggests that the poem should be read with a sense of wit and levity, even as it delivers its sharp critique. The inclusion of the year 1941 situates the poem in a specific historical moment, possibly referencing the heightened self-importance of literary figures during wartime, when poetry might have been seen as an escape from or commentary on global conflict.

Ultimately, "Scherzo: Writers’ Conference, 1941" is a brilliantly executed satire that lampoons the vanity, pretension, and misguided seriousness of poets and their audiences alike. Through sharp imagery, clever wordplay, and biting irony, Nims critiques both the commercial aspirations of poets and the superficiality of their admirers. At the same time, the poem acknowledges the true power of poetry—not as a social performance but as a force that, when taken seriously, is as wild and dangerous as the human passions it seeks to capture.

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