In a Station of the Metro
by Ezra Pound · 1913 · 1 min leestijd · 2 regels
“In a Station of the Metro” by Ezra Pound is a two-line poem about faces in a crowd and the striking natural image they bring to mind. It begins with an “apparition,” making the faces seem like a sudden vision rather than a group of clearly described individuals. The second line shifts to petals resting on a wet, black tree branch. Instead of explaining the connection, the poem places the two sights beside each other. The faces and petals suggest delicate forms standing out against a larger background. Moving from a crowded station to a dark bough, the poem turns a brief human encounter into an image of fragile beauty.
Wat het betekent, regel voor regel
Regels 1 tot 1: The opening presents faces within a crowd as an “apparition,” a word that suggests something suddenly seen and almost ghostlike. No individual receives a description. The line focuses on the experience of seeing faces emerge from the surrounding crowd.
Regels 2 tot 2: The second line offers petals on a wet, black branch without explicitly saying they resemble the faces. Their placement invites the reader to connect the images. The delicate petals contrast with the dark bough, suggesting how individual faces might stand out within a crowd.
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Drie vragen om over na te denken
- How does the word “apparition” shape your sense of the faces in the crowd?
- What connections do you see between the faces and the petals on the bough?
- How do the words “wet” and “black” affect the mood of the final image?
3 maanden gratis
200.000+ klassiekers. Elk formaat, gratis om te beginnen.
E-books en samenvattingen van 15 minuten, en elk boek tegen kostprijs gedrukt, ook in grote letters.
