In 1916, pound wrote about the process of writing the poem pound, gaudierbrzeska, 1916. Ezra pound, in a station of the metro haiku terebess. What is the effect of using the word apparition instead. This short piece illustrates his imagistic talent because the entire poem deals with images alone. The technique of juxtaposition that is characteristic of ezra pounds poetry is evident in eliots poem also. In the foot notes, pound mentions that he wrote the poem as a response to an experience he had in the paris metro where he saw suddenly a beautiful face, and then another and another, and then a beautiful childs face, and then another beautiful woman. Does the poem provide any clues as to how pound feels about modern life and technology. His contribution to poetry began with his development of imagism, a movement derived from classical chinese and japanese poetry, stressing clarity, precision. American culture, technology, anonymityisolationpublic privacy. Apr 01, 2017 in a station of the metro is an imagist poem by ezra pound published in 19. There heros wits are kept in pondrous vases, and beaus in snuffboxes and tweezercases.
A letter, in a station of the metro, william carlos williams, the red wheelbarrow, the great figure, this is just to say, poem, h. What are the major themes of in a station of the metro by. Enter a library name or part of a name, city, state, or province. He was an early champion of a number of avantgarde and modernist poets. So we have faces in a crowd in a metro station and we have wet black petals on a branch. Analysis of in a station of the metro by ezra pound. Contributions to periodicals, prefaced and arranged by lea. Pound connects images of petals and boughs to a mass of humanity linking a manmade metropolitan scene with the cycles of nature. 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. So why dont we conclude with one or two of you trying to interpret the juxtaposition. Summary in this quick poem, pound describes watching faces appear in a metro station. But the elements are difficult to see at first, hidden behind a superficially simple structure.
Pound s anger and resentment of capitalism and the british government was forged by the bloodshed of. The article presents a talk given by the author on the poem in a station of the metro, by ezra pound at the academy of american poets online poetry classroom summer institute. In a station of the metro by ezra pound the sunday times. Grand central subway terminal, new york city, 1912 grand central subway terminal, new york city, 1912. Pounds use of living metaphors adds to the fleeting tone of this poem. The japanese have had the same sense of exploration. Discussion on pounds in a station of the metro youtube. In the poem in a station of the metro, ezra pound has gone beyond the limits of standard imagery by evolking the spontaneous reaction of sensory and mental association, thus neutralizing the mediating effects of the language winkler 580. Ezra pounds in a station of the metro 603 words 123 help me.
On in a station of the metro academy of american poets. Even though, the poem is two lines long, he uses imagism to relate his observations about peoples faces and nature. In the essay imagism, the second rule of imagistes is said to be to use. Pound believed that the gods gave the impulse and the gift of a great poet. The second sentence depicts a view of a nature, that happens. Ezra pound is widely considered one of the most influential poets of the 20th century. 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. How successful is pound at planting a particular image in your mind when you read this poem. 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. In a station of the metro is a poem by american writer ezra pound, originally published in 19.
Download pdf project muse johns hopkins university. In a station of the metro poem summary and analysis. See the bibliography bk3 for notes about what this poem has to do with japan, bk4 and bk12 for pounds own explanation of the matter, and ezra pound and the invention of japan for a critical overview of pounds japanese interests among more than 100 titles by pound that are in print are several that contain work related to his japanese interests. 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. A criticism is presented for the poem in a station of the metro by the poet ezra pound. I think the secert of the poem lies in the connection between the two sentence.
A very short poem two lines by ezra pound describing the experience of metro travel. Lets summarize what weve learned about pound s in a station of the metro. Ezra pound is generally considered the poet most responsible for defining and promoting a modernist aesthetic in poetry. In a station of the metro from lustra ezra pound pound, ezra 18851972 controversial american poet, editor, and critic who had a major influence on 20th century literature. Download this entire guide to in a station of the metro as a printable pdf. Dec 06, 2016 pounds 19 poem in a station of the metro demonstrates his imagistic motif in a couple of lines. Ezra pound, in a station of the metro haiku terebess asia. Two illustrations inspired by the american poet ezra pounds famous and famously short poem, in a station of the metro, first published in 19. 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.
Pounds twoline poem is a famous example of imagism, a poetic form. Modernist poet ezra pound composed this poem during his imagist period, and it was published in 19 in poetry magazine. In a station of the metro by ezra pound the difficult. Ezra pounds in a station of the metro before this week, i had never read any poetry by ezra pound. Summary in this quick poem, pound describes watching faces. Rather than describing something an object or situation and then generalizing about it, imagist poets.
Ezra pound s in a station of the metro before this week, i had never read any poetry by ezra pound. Ezra pound in a station of the metro japanese haiku ezra weston loomis pound 18851972 the poem supposed organization on a page. Principles of imagism, imagism, ezra pound, a few donts by an imagiste, the rivermerchants wife. Why doesnt pound include the phrase looks like at the beginning of the second line. The poem displays precise technical execution, like a finely tuned machine. In the poem, pound describes a moment in the underground metro station in paris in 1912. In a station of the metro is a poem by american writer ezra pound, originally. To find out more about ezra pound, visit the lesson on his poem, in a station of the metro. Pounds short poem provides us with a solid example of how he took an ancient traditiontwo actuallyand made them into something yup new.
Pound could have used the word appearance in the first line. 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. Complete summary of ezra pound s in a station of the metro. This talk was given by mark doty at the academy of american poets online poetry classroom summer institute. In a station of the metro ezra pound the apparition of these faces in the crowd. Why did ezra pound reduce in a station of the metro from. Ezra pounds in a station of the metro general education. The poet wandering in the underworldthe only one alive in a world of the deadis a familiar theme in classical poetry. Ezra pound in a station of the metro by ludka koskova. Japanese and chinese imagery in in a station of a metro by ezra. 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. Earl miner has spoken of it in terms of discordia concorsin j.
In a station of the metro is an imagist poem by ezra pound published in 19. What are the major themes of in a station of the metro. Topics discussed include pounds relationship to the imagist poetry movement, the depiction of the matro, or subway, located in paris, france in the poem, and the rhythm of the poem. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Pounds twoline poem is a famous example of imagism, a poetic form spearheaded by pound that focuses above all on relating clear images. Essay on in a station of the metro by ezra pound 637.
There broken vows and deathbed alms are found, and lovers hearts with ends of riband bound, the courtiers promises, and sick mans prayrs, the smiles of harlots, and the tears of heirs, cages for gnats, and chains to yoke a flea, dryd butterflies, and tomes of. Ezra pounds in a station of the metro 603 words 123. Why does it matter that the poem uses metaphor saying that one thing is another instead of simile saying that one thing is like another to compare the faces to flowers on a tree branch this is the kind of poem that makes people throw up their hands and say, well, geez, i could write that. I have no experience with chinese and japanese brush painting, and it is known as a technique that takes at least a whole lifetime to perfect, but its the idea that. Alexanders eng 250 class fall 2015 in a station of the metro lyrics. Alfred prufrock and in a station of the metro use some similar devices. Eliot, two of the most prominent and prolific literary figures of 20th. Pound s use of living metaphors adds to the fleeting tone of this poem. In a station of the metro 19 the apparition of these faces in the crowd.
I noticed immediately that many of the poems are very short. Apr 27, 2010 a video interpretation of ezra pound s poem, in a station of the metro. Poetry of ezra pound 162, and humphrey carpenter describes pounds fifth. 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. There, you can accomplish the following objectives. Earl miner has spoken of it in terms of discordia concors in j. Japanese and chinese imagery in in a station of a metro by ezra pound. Apr 04, 2017 two illustrations inspired by the american poet ezra pounds famous and famously short poem, in a station of the metro, first published in 19. Ezra pound s 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. In a station of the metro the apparition of these faces in the crowd. In the introduction of the norton anthology of american literature volume d, it states.
In a station of the metro ezra pound in a station of the. This is perhaps the most famous poem written by ezra pound. Ultimately, pounds in a station of the metro registers the historically innovative subtlety. Ezra pound in in a station of the metro likens human faces to petals, as he focused on people in an underground metro. Pound first campaigned for imagistic, his name for a new kind of poetry. It includes brief background notes and touches on modernism as well as theme, imagery, diction and other relevant aspects of the poem. Complete summary of ezra pounds in a station of the metro. Despite being a very short poem, ezra pounds in a station of the metro explores a number of major themes. I taught this poem on a day that my class debated the question, what is america. In a station of the metro by ezra pound the apparition of these faces in the crowd. Ezra pounds poem in a station of the metro is only two lines, making it hard to decipher what exactly is going on. Ezra pounds in a station of the metro has to be one of the most thoughtprovoking poems i have ever read. Sullivans ezra pound 235, others of an interrelationship of subjectiveobjective imagery, and many have struggled for.
In this analysis, i want to focus mostly on the technical execution of. Despite being a very short poem, ezra pound s in a station of the metro explores a number of major themes. Throughout the history of english poetry, there seldom is a poem like ezra pounds in a station of the metro hereafter referred to as metro poem that has been endlessly researched by scholars, literary critics, and poets alike 1. Ezra pound and the rhetoric of science, 1901 1922 ucl discovery. Elkin mathews, 1916 45 ps 3531 o82l8 1916 robarts library.
In a station of the metro representative poetry online. Underground, the poet notices how pale faces in a crowd are like blown petals. Pound wrote it after having a spiritual experience in a paris metro subway station. Pounds in a station of the metro 19, occurs, he explains, when in paris he. The poet is like the only one alive in the world he inhabits. For instance, the element of physical movement presented in both the poems is. Flowers and trees, like human beings on a metro, are constantly moving, growing, and changing. For instance, the element of physical movement presented in. The second sentence depicts a view of a nature, that happens after a rain. A video interpretation of ezra pounds poem, in a station of the metro. More ezra pound sign up for poemaday receive a new poem in your inbox daily. In a station of the metro by ezra pound poetry magazine. The poem in a station of the metro by ezra pound is presented.
In a station of the metro poem by ezra pound poem hunter. In a station of the metro is an imagist poem by ezra pound published in 19 in the literary magazine poetry. An american poet and critic of the early modernist movement imagery is the use of figurative or descriptive language that can help the reader better. Ezra pound, in a station of the metro haiku terebess asia online. 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. Featuring a piano instrumental of muses ruled by secrecy.
1397 999 1123 1106 568 41 1218 1126 11 1118 1460 335 845 1188 686 461 1107 130 1151 727 1151 266 372 295 627 1164 968 1457 653 194 1323 115 994 101 107 977 415 1003 1395