While pounds poetry seemed strange to me at the beginning of the week, i am interested to learn more about it. It is one of the most earliest compositions in modernist poetry and imagist traditions. Ezra pound, in a station of the metro haiku terebess. This piece is an excellent example of imagism, in which poets, instead of describing an image in detail, tried to use a minimal amount of words, and evoke an image by use of a well. In just two lines, pound distils the entire manifesto. The first sentence describes a sence of the morden life, that happens in a station of the metro, it is very common as a single sentence. Pound says about the composition of this poem that, i wrote a thirtyline poem, and destroyed it because it was what we call work of second intensity. It is unclear whether he is writing from the vantage point of a passenger on the train itself or on the platform. In a station of the metro is an imagist poem by ezra pound. Pounds twoline poem is a famous example of imagism, a poetic form spearheaded by pound that focuses above all on relating clear images through precise, accessible language.
A striking element of in the station of a metro is that it is written entirely without verbs. Alexanders eng 250 class fall 2015 in a station of the metro lyrics. In a station of the metro the apparition of these faces in the crowd. Ezra pound is widely considered one of the most influential poets of the 20th century. In a station of the metro poem by ezra pound poem hunter. Rather than describing something an object or situation and then generalizing about it, imagist poets attempted to present. Ezra pound, clearly influenced by haiku brings in imagism in her masterpiece in a station of the metro 19. Hulme had earlier called dry, hard, classical verse. In this analysis, i want to focus mostly on the technical execution of. Ezra pounds in a station of the metro is a poem that capitalizes on the tension between similarity and polarity as extremely as ever a couplet has.
So, when in a station of the metro by ezra pound is introduced, it shouldnt even be that surprising that what makes this particular poem stand out is that it is fourteen words long. What are the major themes of in a station of the metro. Ezra pounds poem in a station of the metro, exquisitely exemplifies how the selective words and syllables can portray powerful imagery from a text. The second sentence depicts a view of a nature, that happens after a rain. Ezra pound in a station of the metro japanese haiku ezra weston loomis pound 18851972 the poem supposed organization on a page. In a station of the metro is an imagist poem by ezra pound published in 19 in the literary magazine poetry. In a station of the metro by ezra pound the apparition of these faces in the crowd. This in a nutshell already contains more syllables than the entire poem. Ezra pounds poem in a station of the metro is the quintessential example of an early twentiethcentury literary movement known as imagism. The poem displays precise technical execution, like a finely tuned machine. Pounds twoline poem is a famous example of imagism, a. The setting is paris, france, and as he describes these faces as a crowd, meaning the station is quite busy.
This is the only ezra pound poem that many people will read in their lives. In a station of the metro by ezra pound although the poem is not your standard flowery, romantic, descriptive or lengthy work it is a poem, written in a modernist approach to poetry. In a station of the metro ezra pound poem most famous. A short analysis of ezra pounds in a station of the metro. Ezra pounds in a station of the metro uses a variety of literary techniques to express the poems meaning, an important focus being the fast paced rhythm, which guides the reader through the poem. In a station of the metro predates all of this, however it was published in 19 in a literary magazine, and was written based on an emotion pound had felt during a moment standing in a paris underground metro station in the previous year. Ezra pound was a rebel and wanted to do things his way in regard to poetry and so he did. He was an early champion of a number of avantgarde and modernist poets. Two illustrations inspired by the american poet ezra pounds famous and famously short poem, in a station of the metro, first published in 19. Search text clicking a result will bring you directly to the content. This is perhaps the most famous poem written by ezra pound.
In a station of the metro 19 the apparition of these faces in the crowd. More ezra pound sign up for poemaday receive a new poem in your inbox daily. His contribution to poetry began with his development of imagism, a movement derived from classical chinese and japanese poetry, stressing clarity, precision, concision, and economy of language. This talk was given by mark doty at the academy of american poets online poetry classroom summer institute. Ezra weston loomis pound 30 october 1885 1 november 1972 was an expatriate american poet and critic, a major figure in the early modernist poetry movement, and a fascist sympathizer. A man sees a bunch of faces in the subway and thinks they look like flowers on a tree branch. Whenever i return to this poem i always have the sensation of being in a new york subway, the car doors opening, and suddenly theres a scene framed by the doors. In this quick poem, pound describes watching faces appear in a metro station. So in a way pound both evinces images perfectly, at least proposing a very precise rendering but he also through juxtaposition opens it up to wide interpretation. In a station of the metro is an imagist poem by ezra pound published in 19. In a station of the metro by ezra pound pennys poetry. In a station of the metro, written by ezra pound in 19, is the imagist poem par excellence. Pounds anger and resentment of capitalism and the british government was forged by the bloodshed of. Ezra pound in a station of the metro in the comments section below, please post a response of at least one full paragraph min.
To appreciate this poem, it is helpful to understand the background that led to its very succinct formation. A station is a stoppingplace, a place where things stand still. In just two lines, pound distils the entire manifesto for imagism into a vivid piece of poetry, what t. In a station of the metro poem summary and analysis. Pound first campaigned for imagistic, his name for a new kind of poetry. However, its not just that the poem is so short its. In a station of the metro by ezra pound about this poet ezra pound is widely considered one of the most influential poets of the 20th century. The poem itself is a kind of station, because it freezes all the bustle of the metro and the crowd into one lasting image. I think the secert of the poem lies in the connection between the two sentence. Pound could have just called the poem, in a metro station, but he chose to make the title longer maybe because he wants to highlight the word station.
On in a station of the metro academy of american poets. Despite being a very short poem, ezra pounds in a station of the metro explores a number of major themes. Ezra pound is generally considered the poet most responsible for defining and promoting a modernist aesthetic in poetry. To find out more about ezra pound, visit the lesson on his poem, in a station of the metro. Ezra pounds in a station of the metro free essay example. In the poem, pound describes a moment in the underground metro station in paris in 1912. It was published in 19 in poetry, which puts it in the public domain in the united states the poem attempts to describe pounds experience upon visiting an underground metro station in paris in 1912, and pound suggested that the faces of the individuals in the metro were best put into a poem not with a description but with an. You wouldnt know it only from reading the poem, but were in. In essence, it is merely a short poem with two lines describing a first person encounter of the poet at a train terminal. Sullivans ezra pound 235, others of an interrelationship of subjectiveobjective imagery, and many have struggled for. In a station of the metroby ezra poundthe apparition of these faces in the crowd. The effect of this is to remind us that, although nature is the. Ezra pound in a station of the metro by ludka koskova.
But the elements are difficult to see at first, hidden behind a superficially simple structure. There, you can accomplish the following objectives. Celebrating ezra pounds in a station of the metro medium. I have no experience with chinese and japanese brush painting, and it is known as a technique that takes at least a. So why dont we conclude with one or two of you trying to interpret the juxtaposition. The poet is watching faces appear in a crowded metro subway station. This poem is one of the verbless poem among the very few. So we have faces in a crowd in a metro station and we have wet black petals on a branch.
In a station of the metro is a poem by american writer ezra pound, originally published in 19. Analysis of in a station of the metro by ezra pound. In a station of the metro ezra pound 18851972 the apparition of these faces in the crowd. Imagery in ezra pounds in a station of the metro 637. After making hundreds of broadcasts for the italian facist regime, he was tried for treason, judged insane, and held in a mental hospital for over ten years. If there is a poem that can perfectly show the sacramental what is poetry. Earl miner has spoken of it in terms of discordia concorsin j. The poem displays precise technical execution, like a finely. Summary and analysis in a station of the metro published in 19 by ezra pound is the best example of imagist poetry that contains just 14 words reduced from thirty lines which depict the precision of language.
It is a short and very much tothepoint poem, and is also notable for not containing any verbs, creating a true rarity in the realm of written works. Ezra pounds poem in a station of the metro is a masterclass in the use of simile. In a station of the metro by ezra pound poetry magazine. Ezra pounds in a station of the metro ezra pound station. In the introduction of the norton anthology of american literature volume d, it states.
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