Karl Shapiro's poetry surrounds his life and his own experiences. As an American in the mid-twentieth century he witnesses the dramatic changes which war and economy bring to the nation, but his writing doesn't pertain to patriotism or America-centric rhetoric; instead, he focuses on the simplicity still preserved in urban life. Poems like "A Garden in Chicago" expound upon the preservation of the human and the profound amid the pretense of modern life.
In "The Conscientious Objector" and "University" Shapiro takes a critical stance of his homeland. He is unconcerned with any particular group of people -- whether for politics, race, or culture. He looks at America as a whole, as it has changed from past to present. Considering the drama of WWII, Shapiro writes "The Conscientious Objector" to point out how public opinion changes depending on the season. In peace they prefer the violent, ambitious soldier, but in peace they demand the conscientious objector to lead the way, both having accomplished the same thing in their service.
In his estimation, Shapiro observes these shifting tides of opinion in "University" as a sort of ideological iconoclasm which causes institutions built upon certain principles to reject them and to reject those who founded them. Still caught in the physical location -- on remote hilltops -- and objective of their founding, these universities become the epitome of hypocrisy as they attempt to pretend they no longer belong to the thinking of the former generation but continue to approach problems through the same methods. He's commenting upon the American people's potential to become obsolete themselves for lack of steady convictions.
