Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Amities" by Ezra Pound is a collection of brief sketches that reflect on friendship in various lights, specifically focusing on its inconsistencies, disappointments, and few joys. Pound sets the stage by citing W.B. Yeats ("W.B.Y."), implying perhaps that old friendships are the most treasured, but as the verses reveal, they are also fraught with complexities.

In the first section, Pound captures the moment of reuniting with a friend after several years have passed. Despite the gap, the friend has not changed, remaining as condescending as ever, reluctant to share in Pound's successes. Yet, ironically, Pound deems him "immortal" like Louis Antoine Fauvelet de Bourrienne, who is best known for his memoirs of Napoleon. Bourrienne's relationship with Napoleon was characterized by opportunism and exploitation, much like the relationship between Pound and this old friend.

In the second section, the focus shifts to another type of acquaintance, the parasite who brings neither wit nor good cheer to social gatherings. The harsh judgment here is that the person is unwelcome, contributing nothing positive and hence warranting a final farewell. This is an outright repudiation of a friendship that has devolved into mere parasitism.

The third section provides a brief but touching glimpse of a friendship that, despite its flaws, has offered something genuine-here symbolized by the discovery of a "moderate chop-house." It's a modest contribution, but it's also genuine, a real "debt" that merits continuing the friendship. It reflects how sometimes, even a small, shared pleasure can sustain a relationship.

The final section delves into a sort of epitaph for a man who is crude ("vir incultus"), dead, and buried. The Latin gives the passage a liturgical tone, a mock prayer that mocks the dead man while praising God that he is finally buried. The phrase "Vermes habent eius vultum" roughly translates to "the worms have his face," a grim image that shows no reverence for the departed. The poem ends with the speaker delighting in his own jovial nature, perhaps implying that he'd rather enjoy his time with "jocunda femina," or delightful women, than suffer poor friendships.

Overall, the poem takes us on a whirlwind tour through the complexities of friendship, tinged with the bitterness of disillusionment but also, occasionally, brightened by the minor joys that even flawed relationships can offer. This diversity of perspectives adds depth to what might seem like a straightforward subject, showing us that even the oldest and most treasured friendships are not immune to scrutiny, disappointment, and, in rare instances, moments of simple but true connection.

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