John Thornton
ENG 374
Essay #1
10/15/2007


Ezra Pound- Rhythm, Symbols, Technique & Form

In the Credo section of Ezra Pound’s “A Retrospect” he discusses four major characteristics of poetry- Rhythm, Symbols, Technique and Form. Pound states that he believes in “absolute rhythm,” “a rhythm, that is, in poetry which corresponds exactly to the emotion or shade of emotion to be expressed (934). We can see brilliant evidence of this belief in his work readily. In Pounds poem “The Return”, he delivers the words in a very staggered cadence. It’s almost as if it is to be read with staggering hesitation in places. Reading the poem with such a rhythm gives the desired emotional effect that Pound intended. I could see this poem read best by someone out of breath, someone “with fear, as half-awakened; As if the snow should hesitate and murmur in the wind” (350).
Pound next states in his “Retrospect,” “I believe that the proper and perfect symbol is the natural object, that if a man uses symbols he must so use them that their symbolic function does not obtrude…a hawk is a hawk” (934). Taking a look back his wonderful poem “The Return,” we can see evidence that Pound puts another of his beliefs in action with precision. He writes “with them the silver hounds, sniffing the trace of air!” (350). The symbol of the hound in this poem is particularly effective in relaying his message. He further drives home the image of the hound several lines later when he says “These the keen-scented; These were the souls of blood” (350). The silver or grey hound is a natural universal symbol for swift speed and a keen sense of smell, especially when referring to hunting. They are know for their ability to pick up the scent of blood from miles away and follow the smell to the source with precision. The hound is delivers Pounds image with power instead of clouding it.
Next Pound discusses his opinion on technique. He says “I believe in technique as the test of a man’s sincerity; in the trampling down of every convention that impedes or obscures the determination of the law, or the precise rendering of the impulse” (934). What I think Pound is saying is that if a writer or artist can break outside of convention in a way that is sincere and effective then it is acceptable, and encouraged even. Its no secret that Pound was quite successful at trampling convention with his own ideals and techniques as best evidenced by his free verse style. Another when in which he broke from convention was in the form of his work, which leads me to our my final topic- Form.
“I think that there is a ‘fluid’ as well as a ‘solid’ content, that some poems may have form as a tree has form, some as water poured into a vase” (934). I think this concept is quite eloquently put by Pound and again he gives us examples in his work. In “The Return” he uses a form that effectively accents key lines and stanzas in the poem. It gives the poem motion and emphasis in all the right places. His indents group together words and phrases that need to stand alone. In the first stanza he sets the first line left-justified and then indents the next three lines evenly. The opening line stands alone and make a statement while the indented lines back it up with vision and imagery.
In the second stanza he writes:
“And murmur in the wind,
And half turn back” (350)
Here he is indenting the line “and half turn back” exactly half way across the page. The indent drives the image home even further.
“The Return” serves as a prime example that Pound puts his beliefs into action when he writes and it’s certainly not the only example. I’ve seen evidence of his use of Rhythm, Symbols, Technique and Form in almost all of his work.

This is only a test

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