Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"In a Station of the Metro" is a short imagist poem by Ezra Pound, which was first published in 1913. The poem is composed of only two lines, and it represents a vivid and condensed snapshot of a momentary experience.

The poem begins by describing the setting of the metro station, where "the apparition of these faces in the crowd; / Petals on a wet, black bough." The first line of the poem describes the faces of people in the station as an "apparition," which suggests that the poet is struck by the ethereal quality of the scene. In the second line, Pound employs the metaphor of "petals on a wet, black bough" to describe the faces of the people. The metaphor suggests that the faces are beautiful and delicate, but also fleeting and impermanent, like petals on a branch.

The poem is an example of imagism, which is a poetic movement that emerged in the early 20th century. Imagist poets aimed to capture the essence of a moment or an image, using precise and vivid language. In "In a Station of the Metro," Pound uses striking imagery and metaphor to create a sense of immediacy and intimacy in the poem. The poem is a beautiful and powerful example of the imagist style and remains a celebrated and influential work of modernist poetry.

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