Mike’s posting of the Masters poem “Silence” made up my mind to post this Nemerov poem that I just encountered. Life Cycle of Common Man by Howard Nemerov Roughly figured, this man of moderate habits, This average consumer of the middle class, Consumed in the course of his average life span Just under half a…

The Sweeper of Ways by Howard Nemerov All day, a small mild Negro man with a broom Sweeps up the leaves that fall along the paths. He carries his head to one side, looking down At his leaves, at his broom like a windy beard Curled with the sweeping habit. Over him High haughty trees,…

A Life by Howard Nemerov Innocence? In a sense. In no sense! Was that it? Was that it? Was that it? That was it.