Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Frateres Minores" by Ezra Pound is a terse critique of a particular breed of poets who, in Pound's view, obsess over the subject of love in a superficial and unenlightening manner. The opening line is a biting mockery: "With minds still hovering above their testicles," Pound lambasts poets for their inability to transcend base desires and sentiments to engage with more profound themes. According to him, these poets are trapped in a form of intellectual adolescence, unable to move beyond their biological urges.

Pound's frustration is magnified when he points out that these preoccupations are "long since fully discussed by Ovid," suggesting that the art of poetry has made little progress in the intervening millennia. Here, Pound challenges the notion that these poets are contributing anything new to the literary canon. Instead, he sees them as recycling outdated themes that have already been thoroughly explored by masters of the past.

He describes their complaints as rendered "in delicate and exhausted metres," an observation that serves multiple functions. Firstly, it indicates that these poets employ traditional forms, perhaps with great skill, but ultimately to no new or meaningful end. Secondly, the word "exhausted" might refer to the poets themselves, who are emotionally drained from their own solipsistic concerns, but it also refers to the poetic form they use, which has been drained of its ability to evoke genuine emotion or intellectual engagement.

The poem concludes with an acerbic commentary on the failure of such self-indulgent poetry to produce "a lasting Nirvana." Pound uses the term "Nirvana" somewhat ironically, borrowing from Buddhist philosophy to underline the limitation of these poets who seek eternal bliss or enlightenment through the exploration of carnal love. According to Pound, the "twitching of three abdominal nerves," a cynical reduction of the sexual act, is insufficient for achieving any higher form of understanding or lasting contentment.

It's worth considering the cultural and historical context of Pound's own work. Known for his involvement with the Modernist movement, Pound was an advocate for a poetry that was erudite and engaged with a wide array of references and themes. He was often critical of poetry that he considered to be superficial or intellectually lazy. "Frateres Minores" can be seen as a manifestation of this broader ethos, challenging poets to rise above clichéd subject matter and strive for a more elevated form of artistic expression.

Overall, "Frateres Minores" serves as both a condemnation and a challenge. It criticizes poets who linger on well-worn themes, while also implicitly asking what poetry should strive for in the modern age. Should it concern itself with individual sentiments, or should it aim for universal truths? For Pound, the answer is clear: Poetry should strive for something greater than a simple reflection of momentary passions.

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