Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

The poem "I Wait" by Ezra Pound captures an intense emotional and psychological state, embodying themes of waiting, yearning, and reconciliation with the passing of time. At its core, the poem serves as an exploration of the intricacies of human relationships, entangled with love, jealousy, and a degree of transcendence.

The narrator waits "as some pale-lidded ghost" for an unspecified "other" to leave, setting free the one he loves-presumably so they can return to their "high self of old." This speaks to the timeless and ethereal nature of his love. His love isn't rooted in the mundane but seems to desire a higher form of communion-"mighty fantasies"-that can "rejoice the world."

The speaker's steadfastness is punctuated by his emotional equilibrium; he feels neither "anger" at the object of his affection nor "envy" towards the intervening "other." Instead, he is "at peace with God and all his stars," evoking an almost cosmic or universal acceptance of circumstances. This acceptance seems to render him immune to the "stings of nettle Time," allowing him to exist beyond temporal anxieties.

Pound then shifts the focus to nature and society, almost as if stepping back to consider the bigger picture. The imagery of "canals" and "mottled colors of reflexion" seems to imply that the natural world continues to be beautiful and harmonious regardless of human affairs. He goes on to describe a group of "half-tamed brats" and one who is "crowned / In mock of finery," suggesting that the human tendency to enact dramas, to elevate and demean, is innate and ongoing. The poem appears to question whether human "jest" is not just as valid a reflection of wisdom as any other, a humble yet profound inquiry into the true essence of wisdom.

It's interesting to consider this work in light of Pound's other writings, which often grapple with the role of the artist and the nature of human experience. Here, the waiting, a seemingly passive act, becomes an almost spiritual state of being, reflective of a higher awareness or a different conception of time and love. In a way, the speaker in "I Wait" could be interpreted as a stand-in for the artist figure who is often out of sync with his or her own era, waiting for the world to catch up or for some transcendental vision to be realized.

The poem thereby offers a nuanced examination of love, desire, and the passage of time. It fuses the personal with the cosmic, inviting us to see our own lives within a grander framework of universal themes and eternal questions. With this poem, Pound doesn't just explore the psychology of waiting or the complexities of love; he gestures towards the broader human condition, echoing the existential inquiries that are recurrent across his body of work.

Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!

Other Poems of Interest...