Silver Nails
Silver Nails - meaning Summary
Martyrdom and Ironic Remembrance
The poem narrates a stranger crucified in a city who mocks his tormentors by claiming his homeland uses "silver nails." The crowd initially misunderstands, then domesticates his suffering into a moral lesson and civic spectacle. Over time they sentimentalize him, erect a statue, and rename him John Silvernail. The poem critiques public misrecognition and the way communities sanitize, commodify, and mythologize individual pain after the fact.
Read Complete AnalysesA man was crucified. He came to the city a stranger, was accused, and nailed to a cross. He lingered hanging. Laughed at the crowd. "The nails are iron," he said, "You are cheap. In my country when we crucify we use silver nails. . ." So he went jeering. They did not understand him at first. Later they talked about him in changed voices in the saloons, bowling alleys, and churches. It came over them every man is crucified only once in his life and the law of humanity dictates silver nails be used for the job. A statue was erected to him in a public square. Not having gathered his name when he was among them, they wrote him as John Silvernail on the statue.
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