Q Ezra Pound Ezra Pound’s poem “In a Station of the Metro” is good example of an imagist poem. Imagism, which flourished in the first part of the 20th-century, favored “clarity of expression through the use of precise visual images.” Like many of the works we will read in this class, imagists “show” rather than “tell”; that is, they tend to present images and characters without explanatory narration and let the reader interpret and infer the psychological or social implications for themselves. Here is the poem (note: the “Metro” is the subway): In a Station of the Metro The apparition of these faces in the crowd; Petals on a wet, black bough. --Ezra Pound Question: What sorts of feelings is Pound trying to covey in this poem? What kind of a mood does it evoke for you? (You can respond in a short, thoughtful paragraph. And if the poem reminds you of a visual work of art, let us know and feel free to provide a link.) Helpful Links: A Brief Guide to Imagism (using “In a Station of the Metro” as prime example) https://www.poets.org/poetsorg/text/brief-guide-imagism Short commentary on “In a Station of the Metro” http://genius.com/Ezra-pound-in-a-station-of-the-metro-annotated More Commentary on “In a Station of the Metro” http://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/poets/m_r/pound/metro.htm Who was Ezra Pound? https://www.poets.org/poetsorg/poet/ezra-pound And the days are not full enough And the nights are not full enough And life slips by like a field mouse Not shaking the grass