Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Howard Nemerov's poem "Late Late Show" delves into the nature of television as a modern medium that revives and perpetuates the images of the past. The poem explores themes of nostalgia, the passage of time, and the unsettling persistence of past fantasies in contemporary life. Through vivid imagery and reflective commentary, Nemerov critiques the way television manipulates memory and blurs the boundaries between the living and the dead.

The poem opens with a clear delineation between the "Old Law" of movies and the "New" of television. Movies, as the old medium, are contrasted with TV, which brings the "dead who did our phantasies" back into our living rooms. This resurrection of past actors and stories through television is depicted as a kind of haunting, where these figures are "Boxed in the bad / Resurrections of Hell." The language here suggests a sense of confinement and a perversion of the natural order, as these figures are repeatedly brought back to life in a "seamy air / And silver drizzle of shifting shape and shade." This imagery evokes a ghostly, insubstantial presence that dominates the domestic space of the living room.

Nemerov notes that these resurrections are "Witnessed without terror and without pity," indicating a desensitization among viewers. The repetition of "eternal return" reflects the cyclical nature of television programming, where old shows are continuously replayed, creating an endless loop of past performances. This repetition strips the once-vibrant performances of their original impact, rendering them mundane and devoid of emotional resonance.

The poem laments the fate of "the stars and the members of unremembered casts," who are spared "the selfish indifference of the selves / Kept up past bedtime by their early lives / Become our late ones." This poignant observation highlights the disconnect between the vibrant lives these actors once led and the apathetic consumption of their images by modern viewers. The phrase "early lives / Become our late ones" suggests a temporal dislocation, where the past intrudes upon the present in a way that diminishes both.

Nemerov continues to explore the theme of disconnection as the "light / So swiftly scanning it can keep them up / As long as the old show stays on the road." This rapid scanning of television images serves to prolong the presence of these figures, yet it also underscores the superficiality of this existence. The advertisements that accompany these shows further emphasize the commercialization of life and death, "Addressing its advertisements for life / To us the living, while even their dead die." The juxtaposition of life-affirming advertisements with the continuous replay of past performances underscores the irony and hollowness of this arrangement.

In "Late Late Show," Nemerov presents a critical reflection on the impact of television on memory and identity. The medium's ability to resurrect and replay the past without emotional engagement leads to a profound sense of dislocation and desensitization. The dead, who once embodied our dreams and fantasies, are now confined to an eternal performance that is consumed without reverence or understanding. This cycle diminishes both the significance of their original lives and the potential for meaningful connection in the present.

Through its rich imagery and thoughtful critique, "Late Late Show" invites readers to consider the ways in which modern media shapes our perceptions of the past and the implications of this continuous replay for our understanding of life and death. Nemerov's poem serves as a reminder of the need for genuine engagement and emotional connection in an age dominated by superficial and repetitive media consumption.

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