Historical Perspective
Nemerov wrote this poem during the late 1970s, which encompassed the Cold War, the Hippie age, the Vietnam War, and the age of Microsoft. The 1970s held many events froms the Roe vs. Wade case to the release of Star Wars. So how do such events relate to the seemingly depressing poem of "Storm Windows?"Firstly, the "Storm Windows" is basically amount a person walking in a rainy day pondering about his past. America during this age also regretted many actions that became epic failures like the Vietnam War. Even the Roe vs. Wade case that dealt with the legalization of abortion showed regret to many conservatives who wanted pro-life to be chosen. Such political decisions and laws made during this decade made many fill like their life was a rainy day. However, in contrast to the exciting technologies coming out like Microsoft and Star Wars, the "Storm Windows" promotes people to stop living their life so humbly and live life to create innovations. Nemerov focused on the viewpoint that being so scared of failures and rejections will make life constantly dull and boring. So, Nemerov must have been inspired by the audacious, fearless innovators. His poem warns others how living life cautiously will never have made awesome ideas like Microsoft and Star Wars. Lastly, the Hippie age must have had some influence on Nemerov's continuous use of nature in his poems. The storm windows takes a key focus on the rain and the grass, which can be seen to some as being one with nature as he will later symbolize these substances to his humanistic theme.