Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Ezra Pound's "Addendum for Canto 100" confronts the reader with a vehement denunciation of usury, described as the core evil that corrupts society, nature, and beauty. The poem can be read as a distillation of many themes that recur throughout Pound's Cantos, particularly his critique of economic systems that prioritize profit over human and artistic value. Yet, the intensity and almost mythical tone of this addendum make it a singular text.

The poem opens with a clear declaration: "The Evil is Usury, neschek / the serpent." Pound uses the term "neschek," likely a variation on the Hebrew word "neshekh," which translates to "usury" or "interest." In aligning usury with the serpent, Pound conjures Biblical images of the snake as a symbol of deception and corruption. The word "defiler" is repeated three times, emphasizing the contamination usury brings not just to economics but to the moral fabric of society. The phrase "beyond race and against race" speaks to usury's indiscriminate destruction; it erodes communities and stokes divisions.

The line "Tokos hic mali medium est" can be translated as "Interest here is the means of evil," which serves as an even more direct condemnation. The term "poison" and the phrase "Here is the center of evil" repeat the thesis, locating the core issue Pound believes needs to be addressed. The "burning hell without let-up" indicates an ongoing, relentless degeneration that usury brings.

"Fafnir the worm," is a reference to Norse mythology where Fafnir is a dragon-once a dwarf-corrupted by greed. The transformation of Fafnir into a monstrous creature encapsulates the metamorphic power of avarice, symbolized here by usury. Calling it the "Syphilis of the state, of all kingdoms" and the "Wart of the common-weal," Pound likens usury to a disease that degrades and debilitates.

The poem concludes with a series of powerful images: "Hydra, entering all things," "Poisoner of the fount, of all fountains," and "evil against Nature's increase, / Against beauty." These final lines underscore the idea that usury, like the mythical Hydra with its many heads, invades all aspects of life, contaminating even the sacred and the beautiful.

Pound's "Addendum for Canto 100" serves as a blistering critique, laden with Biblical, mythological, and historical references that amplify its message. The poem might be seen as controversial, particularly when one considers Pound's own complex and highly criticized political stances, but it's also a rigorous intellectual engagement with what he saw as the moral failings of modern economic systems. Despite the vehemence of its language, or perhaps because of it, the poem raises important ethical questions about the priorities of societies and the philosophies that underpin them.

However, the poem delves into the theme of usury as the source of societal evil, likening it to various mythological and symbolic representations of corruption and decay. While the poem itself doesn't explicitly contain anti-Semitic language, it's important to be aware of Ezra Pound's historical context because of anti-Semitic beliefs and fascist sympathies when discussing his work.

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