Palladiums
Palladiums - meaning Summary
Questioning Institutional Authority
The poem satirically probes who holds power and influence in a newspaper office, imagining unseen figures—spooks, mythic coat-wearers—moving among desks and manipulating stories. It treats rumor, censorship, and editorial control as almost supernatural forces, operating quietly yet authoritatively. The closing lines warn that critique must be muted because entrenched institutions (the "sacred cows") are protected and require careful feeding rather than exposure.
Read Complete AnalysesIN the newspaper office-who are the spooks? Who wears the mythic coat invisible? Who ****foots from desk to desk with a speaking forefinger? Who gumshoes amid the copy paper with a whispering thumb? Speak softly-the sacred cows may hear. Speak easy-the sacred cows must be fed.
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