A video interpretation of ezra pounds poem, in a station of the metro. Ezra pound in a station of the metro japanese haiku ezra weston loomis pound 18851972 the poem supposed organization on a page. In looking at in a station of the metro from the points of view of poet and recipient, we are lucky to have pounds report on how he composed it, a report that confirms some of the observations made earlier. Alexanders eng 250 class fall 2015 in a station of the metro lyrics. The project gutenberg ebook of lustra of ezra pound.
Lustra 1916 by ezra pound in a station of the metro. 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. Pdf the japanese sources of ezra pounds in a station of the metro andrew houwen academia. In a station of the metro ezra pound analysis appunti di. In a station of the metro by ezra pound the sunday times. Analysis of in a station of the metro by ezra pound. He was an early champion of a number of avantgarde and modernist poets. Ezra weston loomis pound was an american expatriate poet and critic and a major figure in the early. Jul 11, 20 in a station of the metro by ezra pound the apparition of these faces in the crowd. So why dont we conclude with one or two of you trying to interpret the juxtaposition. I have no experience with chinese and japanese brush painting, and it is known as a technique that takes at least a. Pound wrote it after having a spiritual experience in a paris metro subway station. The poet is living the situation, he is attracted by the faces even if there is a lot of people crowd.
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. Despite being a very short poem, ezra pound s in a station of the metro explores a number of major themes. In a station of the metro by ezra pound excellence in. An analysis of ezra pounds poem in a station of the metro. Poet as sculptor was a book i was commissioned to write by the new york branch of oxford university press, who approached me, i am delighted to remember, in the person of reuben brower and in the unlikely milieu of warsaw, where in 1960 an international conference on poetics not a thing that happened every. 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. Pound s use of living metaphors adds to the fleeting tone of this poem. Despite being a very short poem, ezra pounds in a station of the metro explores a number of major themes. There are lots of reasons he could have done this it sounds really cool, for example but another reason might be to highlight the word station.
What are the major themes of in a station of the metro by. 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. I finally managed to analyze it and get the true meaning behind it. It does have an assonance rhyme at the end of its two lines, but is still in essence a free verse poem, an example of pounds imagist art before he forsook the movement he helped create and founded vorticism. In a station of the metro is an imagist poem by ezra pound published in 19 in the literary magazine poetry. Dec 05, 2015 lustra 1916 by ezra pound in a station of the metro. Ezra pounds in a station of the metro general education. Pounds twoline poem is a famous example of imagism, a poetic form. 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. I think the secert of the poem lies in the connection between the two sentence. Pound connects images of petals and boughs to a mass of humanity linking a manmade metropolitan scene with the cycles of nature. Ezra pound is generally considered the poet most responsible for defining and promoting a modernist aesthetic in poetry. Although it does moderately follow the rules of the japanese style of a haiku.
Sullivans ezra pound 235, others of an interrelationship of subjectiveobjective imagery, and many have struggled for. In truth, this is my favorite poem and it has a truly unique meaning behind it. Pound could have used the word appearance in the first line. In this quick poem, pound describes watching faces appear in a metro station. Through imagery, pound imbues his vision and thoughts of his surroundings while on a subway train. In a station of the metro ezra pound poem most famous. 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. He wanted to make the poem more concise and direct.
Studies in ezra pound by donald davie, 1991 online research. Ezra pounds poem in a station of the metro is only two lines, making it hard to decipher what exactly is going on. Poetry of ezra pound 162, and humphrey carpenter describes pounds fifth. Apr 27, 2010 a video interpretation of ezra pound s poem, in a station of the metro. Pounds use of living metaphors adds to the fleeting tone of this poem. Principles of imagism, imagism, ezra pound, a few donts by an imagiste, the rivermerchants wife. At first blush, in a station of the metro seems impossibly easy. A criticism is presented for the poem in a station of the metro by the poet ezra pound.
Apparition is linked to something related to light and it is also linked to these faces. 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. 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. In a station of the metro by ezra pound the apparition of these faces in the crowd. Apr 12, 2011 ezra pounds poem in a station of the metro is only two lines, making it hard to decipher what exactly is going on. This is perhaps the most famous poem written by ezra pound. The project gutenberg ebook of lustra of ezra pound, by ezra pound this ebook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost. 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. Christian herter, under secre tary of state, in a letter to dr. Lustrain a station of the metro wikisource, the free. Ezra pounds in a station of the metro and its impact on contemporary japanese senryu, by andrew houwen and taira sosei. Earl miner has spoken of it in terms of discordia concorsin j. Explication of ezra pounds in a station of the metro 123. American culture, technology, anonymityisolationpublic privacy.
Pdf the japanese sources of ezra pounds in a station. Featuring a piano instrumental of muses ruled by secrecy. So we have faces in a crowd in a metro station and we have wet black petals on a branch. Written in haiku and describing the presence of unexpected beauty in a city environment, the poem displays how pound went beyond the limits of using standard imagery by evoking the spontaneous reaction of sensory and mental association. Lets summarize what weve learned about pound s in a station of the metro. I was assigned to analyze this poem in class a couple of weeks ago, and honestly, it was the hardest poem to analyze. Pound, beatrice hastings, and the new age, by judith hendra. In the introduction of the norton anthology of american literature volume d, it states.
His poem entitled in a station of the metro in which he wrote the. Flowers and trees, like human beings on a metro, are constantly moving, growing, and changing. Pound could have just called the poem, in a metro station, but he chose to make the title longer. Black is the color of the bough as the color of the metro. A station is a stoppingplace, a place where things stand still.
How successful is pound at planting a particular image in your mind when you read this poem. In a station of the metro poem by ezra pound poem hunter. In a station of the metro poem summary and analysis. Underground, the poet notices how pale faces in a crowd are like blown petals. Oct 20, 2012 in a station of the metro by ezra pound the apparition of these faces in the crowd. A very short poem two lines by ezra pound describing the experience of metro travel. Modernist poet ezra pound composed this poem during his imagist period, and it was published in 19 in poetry magazine. Pounds in a station of the metro 19, occurs, he explains, when in paris he. Whats the meaning behind the poem in a station of the metro. Here we are because we have the kennin for our foemen. Ezra pound was a rebel and wanted to do things his way in regard to poetry and so he did. In a station of the metro by ezra pound is short two lined poem that could potentially have a variety of interpretations.
Is in a station of the metro by ezra pound written in free. In a station of the metro is a poem by american writer ezra pound, originally. Grand central subway terminal, new york city, 1912 grand central subway terminal, new york city, 1912. 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. The second sentence depicts a view of a nature, that happens after a rain. In a station of the metro the apparition of these faces in the crowd.
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. In a station of the metro by ezra pound ezra pound. That being said, there is a lot going on within the few words we get from ezra pound. 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. In a station of the metro by ezra pound the difficult forms. In a station of the metro 19 the apparition of these faces in the crowd. Ezra pound is widely considered one of the most influential poets of the 20th century. So what i want is to see if other people can get the true meaning behind it.
Why did ezra pound reduce in a station of the metro from 30. 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. Does the poem provide any clues as to how pound feels about modern life and technology. Dec 06, 2016 ezra pound was a rebel and wanted to do things his way in regard to poetry and so he did. In a station of the metro by ezra pound poetry magazine. Earl miner has spoken of it in terms of discordia concors in j. In the poem, pound describes a moment in the underground metro station in paris in 1912.
Its structure does not follow the rules of iambic pentameter or of a sonnet. What is the effect of using the word apparition instead. It is unclear whether he is writing from the vantage point of a passenger on the train itself or on the platform. Pound first campaigned for imagistic, his name for a new kind of poetry.
So, when in a station of the metro by ezra pound is introduced, it shouldnt. 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. Apr 17, 2012 in a station of the metro by ezra pound is short two lined poem that could potentially have a variety of interpretations. Pound s anger and resentment of capitalism and the british government was forged by the bloodshed of. Why did ezra pound reduce in a station of the metro from 30 lines to two. Two illustrations inspired by the american poet ezra pounds famous and famously short poem, in a station of the metro, first published in 19. This difficult individual, ezra pound by eustace mullins.
A letter, in a station of the metro, william carlos williams, the red wheelbarrow, the great figure, this is just to say, poem, h. Ezra pound in a station of the metro by ludka koskova on. In 1916, pound wrote about the process of writing the poem pound, gaudierbrzeska, 1916. More ezra pound sign up for poemaday receive a new poem in your inbox daily. Ezra pound, in a station of the metro haiku terebess asia.