Benny Bunter
Well-known member
In a Station of the Metro
The apparition of these faces in the crowd;
Petals on a wet, black bough.
The apparition of these faces in the crowd;
Petals on a wet, black bough.
Kenner talks about this one in the 'Imagism' chapter of The Pound Era. It's too long a section to type out, but he talks about the importance of the title in contrasting the vegetal with the world of machines and links the Metro and use of the word "apparitions" with Ancient Greek depictions of the underworld.In a Station of the Metro
The apparition of these faces in the crowd;
Petals on a wet, black bough.
The title's really important and has to be considered as part of the poem really doesn't it? Especially when they're so short.Kenner talks about this one in the 'Imagism' chapter of The Pound Era. It's too long a section to type out, but he talks about the importance of the title in contrasting the vegetal with the world of machines and links the Metro and use of the word "apparitions" with Ancient Greek depictions of the underworld.
Amazing how much is compressed into two lines and a title.
Well worth reading.That Kenner book is definitely in my want list
My proffesors always said the title is the first line of the poemThe title's really important and has to be considered as part of the poem really doesn't it? Especially when they're so short.
The red wheelbarrow by william carlos williams is one often paired with in the station of metro but I think it reads like a parody of the latter.
so much depends
upon
a red wheel
barrow
glazed with rain
water
beside the white
chickens
That 'so much depends upon' opening feels unconfident/self concious and that the title makes one of the lines redundant seems like a bad call when the poem is12 words long