The Fascist Poet
Today, Ezra Pound is known more for his politics than his poetry
“If a man isn’t willing to take a risk for his opinions, either his opinions are no good or he’s no good.” — Ezra Pound
Ezra Pound is one of the greatest poets in American history, but he was known for his politics more than he was known for his poetry. Ezra Pound, in the words of Ash Sarkar at The Guardian, the “pioneer of the most exciting aesthetic movement of the 20th century.”
And he was a great mentor to other poets. He helped T.S. Eliot transform his verse into the Waste Land. Pound also mentored James Joyce, Robert Frost, and Ernest Hemingway through editing and connections. In fact, Pound helped kickstart Robert Frost’s career — Robert Frost had never been published in prominent magazines, but while Frost lived in England, Pound helped Frost publish A Boy’s Will, his first prominent book. He also helped serialize James Joyce’s A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man and Ulysses, and his closest connection was perhaps with T.S. Eliot, who wouldn’t have published “The Wasteland” without Pound.
And helping other poets was only possible because Pound was a great poet himself. “In a Station of the Metro” is widely regarded as one of the best poems ever:
