Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Langue d'oc: Vergier" by Ezra Pound provides a narrative that delves into the fleeting moments between lovers, capturing the transient nature of both love and time itself. In this poem, a couple meets in an orchard "under the hawthorne" for a clandestine rendezvous that is defined by its impermanence, encapsulated by the recurring line, "Ah God! How swift the night. / And day comes on." The motif of swiftly passing time shapes the structure and emotional cadence of the poem, becoming a haunting refrain that underscores the narrative.

In the backdrop of the orchard, the natural world serves as a witness to their love. The hawthorn tree, historically a symbol of fertility and hope, encapsulates the intensity of their passion, while the "birds" in the "meadow mist" add an auditory layer to the scene. The cries of the birds and the arrival of mist denote the approach of dawn, the end of their secret meeting. Yet the lovers resist the inevitable passage of time, seeking to extend their fleeting moments together. Their plea to the "Plasmatour," a term that invokes a divine creator, to "end not the night," is a poignant appeal to freeze time and thus freeze their love in its current blissful state.

The poem makes use of rich olfactory and gustatory imagery, as the speaker notes that he has drunk a draught "sweeter than scent of myrrh" from the wind that blows from his lover. This vivid sensory detail amplifies the speaker's experience of the moment, investing it with a sensuality that transcends the ordinary and makes it divine. The use of myrrh, a substance often associated with sacred rituals, elevates their love to a spiritual plane, marking it as extraordinary and precious.

Despite the intoxicating allure of their love, the "traist watcher" and the "tower-man" serve as looming figures in the narrative, symbols of societal scrutiny and judgment. They are the ones who "cry out to warn / Them," reminders of the external world that waits to intrude upon their private idyll. This presence of watchful eyes adds an edge of tension to the poem, casting a shadow over their love and highlighting its clandestine nature.

Another layer of complexity is added when the speaker mentions that "many men look on her" due to her "great beauty," yet her heart "will not stir" out of his love. This is both a statement of pride and a subtle realization of vulnerability, as he understands that their love exists in a delicate balance, constantly threatened by external forces including her allure to other men.

The repeated phrase "By God, how swift the night. / And day comes on" functions as a liturgical refrain, reminding both the lovers and the readers of the transitory nature of human experiences. Despite the urgency to hold onto the present moment, time slips through their fingers like grains of sand, leaving them to face the inevitable dawn-a poignant metaphor for the transient nature of love and life itself.

In this exquisite poem, Ezra Pound captures the ephemeral quality of love, framed by the ceaseless march of time. He explores the tension between the desire to freeze a perfect moment and the inexorable movement towards the future, illuminating the human condition in its search for enduring love within the confines of a temporal world.

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