The thought of what America would be like
If the Classics had a wide circulation
Troubles my sleep,
The thought of what America,
The thought of what America,The thought of what America would be like
If the Classics had a wide circulation
Troubles my sleep.
Nunc dimittis, now lettest thou thy servant,
Now lettest thou thy servant
Depart in peace.
The thought of what America,
The thought of what America,
The thought of what America would be like
If the Classics had a wide circulation…
Oh well!
It troubles my sleep.
Cantico del Sole
Analysis, meaning and summary of Ezra Pound's poem Cantico del Sole
4 Comments
Leave a Reply
Do you have any comments, criticism, paraphrasis or analysis of this poem that you feel would assist other visitors in understanding the meaning or the theme of this poem by Ezra Pound better? If accepted, your analysis will be added to this page of American Poems. Together we can build a wealth of information, but it will take some discipline and determination.
Nunc Di·mit·tis /ˈnʌŋk dɪˈmɪtɪs, ˈnʊŋk/ Show Spelled
[nuhngk di-mit-is, noongk] Show IPA
–noun
1. ( italics ) the canticle beginning with the words of Simeon, in Luke 2:29–32, “Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace.” The thought of what America would be like
If the Classics had a wide circulation…
Oh well!
It troubles my sleep.
A Cantico to the Sun God?
I agree with the other comments, especially my friend from across the pond. However, there is a particular “American Project” at work in Pound’s understanding of the cultural “loss” of the classics. It is afterall America that breeds the troubled thought. By now (2005) this attitude is global (from my perspective).
I do agree. But if you look at this poems is good example of how can repetition, even literal, function in a poem. It doesn´t function most of the time. This poems make me think in the repetitive chords of Lou Reed, ja, ja
This poem was written to warn people that cultural values are being lost, modernism was not meant for this but to revive the values of poetry.