Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Apparuit" by Ezra Pound is a poetic exploration of awe, beauty, and transience. It depicts a fleeting but transformative moment of seeing "thee," an entity described with ethereal qualities. The poem reverberates with an interplay of light and substance, the physical and the metaphysical, offering a glimpse of a realm that transcends human comprehension.

The poem starts with a house described as a "Golden rose," giving an immediate sense of warmth and sanctity. The narrator sees "thee," described as a "marvel," a "portent," instantly affecting the environment so profoundly that "Life died down in the lamp and flickered, / caught at the wonder." The term "portent" implies that the presence seen has a significance that goes beyond mere appearance-it foretells something monumental.

As the poem progresses, this entity is further painted in celestial hues, "moving in the glamorous sun," as if absorbing life from the earth and air. It exists in an elemental relationship with its surroundings-"the breath of the fields is thine there"-but it also transcends them. The phrase "steely going" and "dreaded aether" suggests a journey or crossing that would daunt lesser beings, but the entity "parted" these challenges "before thee." This language adds a heroic dimension, making it not just ethereal but powerful.

The "shell of gold" possibly symbolizes the divine or celestial body that temporarily houses the spirit of this being. The entity seems to shed "the cloak of the body," moving towards a form of enlightenment or higher existence. Its oriel-a window or form of light-shines, yet, interestingly, the "stunned light / faded about thee." It's as if the light, the ultimate symbol of visibility and understanding, is itself humbled or even overshadowed by this entity's brilliance.

Pound moves towards an even more ephemeral description as he reaches the poem's conclusion: "Half the graven shoulder, the throat aflash with / strands of light inwoven about it, loveliest / of all things, frail alabaster, ah me! / swift in departing." The entity is as transient as it is beautiful, making its ephemeral nature a crucial aspect of its appeal. The final lines-"Thou a slight thing, thou in access of cunning / dar'dst to assume this?"-express awe but also a slight reproach, or perhaps wonder, that something so "slight" could dare to assume such an overwhelming form.

In its entirety, "Apparuit" operates as a homage to the ineffable, to that which we can perceive only in fragments and moments of transfixing beauty. It speaks of the struggle of human language and art to capture that which is beyond them, resonating with a sense of awe that is both elevating and humbling. In this intricate blend of awe and beauty, mystery and clarity, the poem captures the essence of a truly sublime experience.

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