"A Primer of the Daily Round"

In “A Primer of the Daily Round,” Howard Nemerov sets a mocking tone as he uses personification and irony to ridicule the rigid nature of modern society and education. He brings the alphabet to life, using them to get his message across. For instance, he remarks that “A Peels an apple, while B kneels to God.” However, he puts a very dark, ironic twist on it. Usually, schoolteachers will use this alphabetic personification to teach their students to read and spell, but he makes such comments as “G turns up the sod/For H’s grave.” Perhaps Nemerov puts this negative spin on it to directly mock the system and show that we need to change the way we treat every student the same way, because this will place  their passion for learning in the metaphorical grave. This message is even conveyed in the title, “A Primer of the Daily Round.” Nemerov is saying we need to end this daily repetition that can be summed up with this monotonous alphabetic lesson.