14 Must-Read Ezra Pound Poems

Ezra Pound, a seminal figure in the Imagist movement, is renowned for his contributions to modern poetry. Known for works like ‘The Cantos‘ and ‘Hugh Selwyn Mauberley,’ his poetry is celebrated for its clarity, precision, and vivid imagery.

Pound began his literary journey early, publishing his first piece—a limerick about a failed presidential candidate—at the age of eleven. He later moved to London, where he self-published his first book of poetry, ‘A Lume Spento,’ and spearheaded the Imagist movement. This role as the leader of Imagism is what he is most remembered for today.

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Poem Explorer Poetry Archives

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Theme: Nature

Topics: Life, Trees

Form: Free Verse

Genre:

Micropoetry

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In a Station of the Metro

Pound’s ‘In a Station of the Metro,’ the definitive Imagist poem, presents the complex dual realities of the mind in a moment via precise images.

Ezra Pound, a founding figure of the Imagist movement, crafted 'In a Station of the Metro' as a masterful example of economic language and precise imagery. Published in 1913 in the magazine Poetry, the poem consists of only two lines: "The apparition of these faces in the crowd: / Petals on a wet, black bough." Pound revealed that the lines were inspired by a moment he experienced in a Paris metro station, capturing the essence of the movement he helped define.

The apparition of these faces in the crowd:

Petals on a wet, black bough.

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The Return

‘The Return’ by Ezra Pound explores the tentative return of gods to Earth, questioning their diminished strength and contrasting it with their former glory.

Written in 1913 and published in 1917's The New Poetry: An Anthology, 'The Return' is one of Ezra Pound's most renowned works. The poem delves into the return of gods who seem to have lost their former strength and vitality. Initially, they appear tentative, a shadow of their former selves who once moved with "silver hounds." As the poem unfolds, the speaker's perception of these gods remains unaltered; they are still seen as weakened and diminished, a poignant commentary on the passage of time and the erosion of mythic power.

See, they return; ah, see the tentative

Movements, and the slow feet,

The trouble in the pace and the uncertain

Wavering!

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The Lake Isle

‘The Lake Isle’ by Ezra Pound echoes themes from W.B. Yeats’ ‘The Lake Isle of Innisfree,’ as it explores the speaker’s yearning for escape from the modern world through simple desires like owning a tobacco shop.

In 'The Lake Isle,' Ezra Pound delves into the speaker's quest for simplicity and freedom from the complexities of modern life. The poem begins with the speaker asking the gods for a tobacco shop, which serves as a symbol for a simpler, more peaceful existence. As the poem unfolds, the speaker's requests evolve, all pointing towards the desire to escape the relentless pace of modernity. In a striking conclusion, the speaker, who increasingly resembles Pound himself, pleads with the gods to liberate him from the "damn'd profession of writing," highlighting the tension between the artist and the world he inhabits.

O God, O Venus, O Mercury, patron of thieves,

Give me in due time, I beseech you, a little tobacco-shop,

With the little bright boxes

piled up neatly upon the shelves

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Nationality: American

Theme: War

Topics: Conflict, Gardens, World War One (WWI)

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The Garden

‘The Garden’ by Ezra Pound describes the emotional conflict caused by changes in the upper and lower classes of England during the ending months of WWI.

Published in 1917, 'The Garden' is set in the affluent neighborhood of Kensington and serves as a microcosm for the societal shifts occurring in England as World War I neared its end. Through vivid descriptions of the gardens and its inhabitants, Pound portrays the emotional conflict stirred by the changing dynamics between the wealthy and the poor. The poem features a graceful woman, symbolic of the upper class, who is juxtaposed with "unkillable" dirty children, representing the lower class. The woman grapples with her desire to connect with the world beyond her social circle, capturing the internal and external conflicts that marked this pivotal period.

Like a skein of loose silk blown against a wall

She walks by the railing of a path in Kensington Gardens,

And she is dying piece-meal

of a sort of emotional anemia.

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The Tree

This early work by Ezra Pound delves into the natural world, love, and mythology through references to Ovid’s Metamorphoses.

In this concise twelve-line poem, Pound explores complex themes by drawing upon two tales from Ovid's Metamorphoses: the stories of Daphne and Apollo, and Baucis and Philemon. The speaker identifies as "a tree," suggesting a unique vantage point that grants him access to otherwise elusive truths. Through this metaphor, Pound examines shifting perspectives on love and the natural world.

I stood still and was a tree amid the wood,

Knowing the truth of things unseen before;

Of Daphne and the laurel bow

And that god-feasting couple old

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L’art

‘L’Art’ by Ezra Pound is a masterful example of Imagism, contrasting vivid imagery of “green arsenic” with “crushed strawberries” in just two lines.

One of Pound's shortest works, 'L'Art' echoes the brevity and impact of another famous poem of his, 'In a Station of the Metro.' In merely two lines, Pound juxtaposes the image of "green arsenic" on a white cloth with "crushed strawberries," creating a powerful contrast between something deadly and something edible. This succinct piece showcases Pound's exceptional ability to craft evocative images.

Green arsenic smeared on an egg-white cloth,

Crushed strawberries! Come, let us feast our eyes.

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A Pact

In this poem, Ezra Pound addresses his complex relationship with Walt Whitman, calling for a truce despite their differing poetic styles.

This piece delves into Pound's professional relationship with the American free verse poet Walt Whitman. Pound critiques Whitman's unrefined style, something he finds unforgivable. However, the poem serves as a call for a truce between the two poets, suggesting that they acknowledge each other's contributions and move beyond animosity.

I make a pact with you, Walt Whitman--

I have detested you long enough.

I come to you as a grown child

Who has had a pig-headed father;

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Nationality: American

Themes: Coming of Age, Journey, Love, Relationships

Emotions: Hope, Love for Him, Missing Someone, Sadness

Topics: Gardens, Growing Up, Longing, Marriage, Memories, Rivers, Time

Form: Free Verse

Genre: Lyric

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The River-Merchant’s Wife: A Letter

‘The River-Merchant’s Wife: A Letter’ by Ezra Pound explores the evolving relationship between a young wife and her merchant husband through a letter she writes.

The poem unfolds as a letter from a sixteen-year-old wife to her merchant husband, detailing the progression of their relationship. The narrative begins with their marriage when she was just fourteen and shy around him. As time passes, her feelings evolve into deep love. The poem captures the emotional journey of the young wife, who now eagerly awaits her husband's return from a trip. The fluid narrative structure allows readers to gain an intimate understanding of the couple's relationship.

While my hair was still cut straight across my forehead

I played about the front gate, pulling flowers.

You came by on bamboo stilts, playing horse,

You walked about my seat, playing with blue plums.

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Salutation

In this ten-line poem, Ezra Pound contrasts the lives of the wealthy with those of fishermen and their families, ultimately favoring the simpler, happier lives of the latter.

The speaker addresses the affluent, describing them as "thoroughly smug," and compares their existence to that of fishermen and their families. The poem portrays the "untidy" yet content lives of these humble families who find joy in simple pleasures like basking in the sun and eating outdoors. The poem culminates in a striking metaphor that uses a fish's lack of clothing to comment on the true essence of a fulfilling life.

O generation of the thoroughly smug

and thoroughly uncomfortable,

I have seen fishermen picnicking in the sun,

I have seen them with untidy families,

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The Encounter

In this five-line poem, Ezra Pound captures a fleeting encounter with a woman, leaving readers with questions about the nature of their relationship and the implications of their “new morality.”

Ezra Pound uses his signature style of vivid imagery to describe a brief, yet intriguing, interaction with a woman. The poem is concise but packed with layers of meaning that invite readers to explore deeper. Questions arise about the relationship between the speaker and the woman—did they leave together? What kind of relationship might they have? The poem also raises questions about the "new morality," particularly in how Pound portrays women in a manner that could be considered stereotypically delicate.

All the while they were talking the new morality

Her eyes explored me.

And when I rose to go

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Canto I

‘Canto I’ by Pound offers a modern twist on Odysseus’s journey to the underworld, blending ancient tales with contemporary poetic flair.

And then went down to the ship,

Set keel to breakers, forth on the godly sea, and

We set up mast and sail on that swart ship,

Bore sheep aboard her, and our bodies also

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Portrait d’une Femme

Pound’s ‘Portrait d’une Femme’ delves into the evolving influence of the female muse in art, offering keen insight into timeless themes.

Your mind and you are our Sargasso Sea,

London has swept about you this score years

And bright ships left you this or that in fee:

Ideas, old gossip, oddments of all things,

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