"In a Station of the Metro" and its relation to Imagism

"In a Station of the Metro" by Ezra Pound

The apparition of these faces in the crowd;

Petals on a wet, black bough.

Ezra Pound’s poem “In a Station of the Metro” has been regarded as a pinnacle of Imagist poetry with its unique, condensed form and pervasive imagery, but does it truly conform to the conventions of the Imagist manifesto? Written in 1913, the poem appears a product of urbanization provoking a loss of human individuality and homogenization of culture. The ambiguous “In a Station of the Metro” title implies a lack of identity, as if this could take place in any industrialized area. The setting affirms a redundancy in modern society either reflecting or causing the overall uneasiness of the images evoked in the poem’s two lines.

To begin, Pound maintains the imagist custom of producing ‘hard and clear’ poetry. The short format allows for a clean read, one that grants both the lines and title to be closely examined and thought out. The pace remains even and the pauses created by the semicolon, “The apparition of these faces in the crowd;”, and comma, “Petals on a wet, black bough,” allow for further clarity and concentration. Pound follows the canon of clear, concentrated writing through his use of a metaphor “Petals on a wet, black bough” rather than a simile, creating a focused image of the exact impression he wishes to manifest. Although, in alternative readings discussed later the second line may not be read as a metaphor describing the “faces,” but rather a unique clause on its own. The short nature forces Pound to utilize every word to its core, following another tenet of the Imagist manifesto.

Although Pound’s diction allows for vivid imagery, the manifestation may vary upon reading, contrasting the Imagist’s idea of using only the ‘exact words’ to convey an exact experience or moment. The “apparition” adds to an eerie, somber tone suggesting both the impermanence and ambiguity of the faces in the crowd. The line could be read to suggest a ghost-like sight, perhaps referring to the thoughts of men abroad sacrificing their lives in the start of World War 1; it could also suggest the impermanence of human contact and interaction with the rush of urbanization. Perhaps this was Pound’s intention, to purposefully leave the imagery vague and subjective with regards to his implying of the triviality of modern life. Even so, we cannot objectively decide whether the words are the ‘exact’ to convey the scene. The second line may be perceived multiple ways as well. The “Petals on a wet, black bough” may be seen as a vital image with the bright petals glowing against the deep, dark background. This could also be seen as a somber image suggesting the petals cling to an all-consuming darkness or emptiness. Although Pound’s images appear clear, they in fact deliver ambiguous meanings but do convey an underlying experience of disillusionment.

The poem offers multiple interpretations, both stylistically and thematically. In earlier analysis, the petals were thought to represent the impression of faces; but, when considering the formal usage of a semicolon, one must question whether the last line was intended as a metaphor or rather its own independent statement. This possible analysis throws the poem into ambiguity asking how these two lines truly relate if not to describe the other. It could be interpreted as a free form characteristic of modern writers where stark imagery creates the tone rather than the actual ‘image.’ The poem could also be analyzed by including the title, creating a three line poem. In this form the poem appears to take on a vague haiku-like style with the simplicity yet intensity characteristic of the classic poetic form. This may go against the Imagist cry for new forms for new ideas, although it could be perceived as an innovation of an old style bringing it into the context of modern culture. In addition the thematic understanding could be spun to either reflect a sinister view of current society losing a grasp on individuality or may rather reflect the speaker’s personal ennui and skewed perception. Either way, the images reveal some insight into the consciousness of the high modern period.

In conclusion, Ezra Pound’s poem does reflect the overarching ideas proposed in the Imagist manifesto but does not strictly conform to its tenets. Pound utilizes the idea of a clear, innovative form but varies in the clarity of images and intentions of experience. In any given reading, all six of the rules proposed by Amy Lowell in “On Imagism” may be applied, but it is the sheer existence of these variant understandings that obscures “In a Station of the Metro” from being purely Imagist.

Word Count: 760