The Cantos of Ezra Pound (New Directions Books)

How can you be critical about an opus which was so many decades in the writing and whose themes and methods changed between the slabs which were published piece by piece? Starting in the middle of Homer's Odssey and moving through Ovidian metamorphosis through several themes to the Russian Revolution, dropping in at the Italian Quattracento (and Lucrezia Borgia - `Madame Matter') as well as on his old pal Baldy Bacon en route (not to mention the Sigismondo cantos). He even brings in his granddad who `sweat blood' put to put that railroad... We follow the chapters on Jefferson `Nuovo Mundo' and even the Adams cantos put side by side with the Chinese history cantos. On the down side we read the fascism of the Italian Cantos, with a skull in a North African desert crying `Alamein! We will return!', and old Adolf `furious from perception'. On the other hand, we read the quiet reflections from Piza prisoner camp, follow American history intermingled with the Shu King, Confucius with modern life; and after the `rock drill', the 'thrones' showing flashes of saintly acts (eg del Mar)with flashes of the inferno. Finally, sad fragments from his depressed reflections in later life, the No-Khi wind ceremony. What can we make of this jumble of archaic snatchings and even hieroglyphics? Pound's need to change society, to battle against usury and to take example from those who lived the right way - Confucius, the Byzantines and the Sacred Edict of K'ung Hui. And to change ourselves. `Pull down thy vanity' is not the only beautiful introspective line in this maze of quotations. And we can watch the transformations take place in his `ideogram' method, where fragments are welded together in snatches to give an impression; just as Chinese characters are composed of several elements which add up to the meaning. For, obscure and complex as the Cantos are, they are undoubtedly a labour of love and an attempt to show society where it is going wrong. They are many beautiful passages in the text, and I suggest the reader wander through this book and appreciate them in their rightful place - the seven lakes canto, for example, and the canto on `lynxes', to mention but two. We can learn a lot from Pound and enjoy what he wrote, but we must make the effort. There is so much that is of great value in this huge work - it really is a modern masterpiece.

It is the first time I am ordering an used book and have to admit that I was quite anxious about the arrival, perhaps thinking it will not live up to my expectations. I can wholeheartedly say that whatever it is described on the website, it is true. Looks like it hasn’t been used. Very happy with this book. Can’t wait to read it.

A well presented book. A plastic cover, easy to handle, in a fetching black jacket; the wording is exactly the same as Pound wrote. Needless to say this request for a review is a complete waste of space A request generated bya robot. A1 - UM = crap.

In my opinion, probably the best book of poetry ever. This is craftsmanship; this is the master at work. I abhor antisemitism, but despite Pound's ant--antisemitism, there is none in this great opus. He has undergone a neglect at the moment which is a shame because he was one of the best. I look in vain on book shop shelves for even a small edition of his selected Cantos. If you are serious about poetry buy this book.

Though I may not understand it all, not all can, I appreciate the importance of this lifelong work by Pound and shall keep working at reading it over my years as well.

very nice

Perfect