Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

In "Homage to Sextus Propertius: 12," Ezra Pound continues his exploration of love's complexities, infidelities, and the precarious nature of human relationships. The poem delves into the tension between love and friendship, art and imitation, as well as the human quest for knowledge and permanence.

The poem begins with an inquiry into who will be "the next man to entrust his girl to a friend," immediately introducing the theme of betrayal in relationships. The line "Love interferes with fidelities" succinctly encapsulates the conflict between romantic and platonic commitments. References to Menelaus, a Trojan and an adulterous person, as well as to "Jason and that woman in Colchis," further contextualize this betrayal within a mythological framework, reinforcing the idea that treachery in love is as old as human history itself.

The speaker's bitterness becomes evident when he addresses Lynceus, a comrade in various aspects of life but not to be trusted in matters of love: "But in one bed, in one bed alone, my dear Lynceus, I deprecate your attendance; I would ask a like boon of Jove." The speaker feels that a breach in sexual fidelity is an even more significant betrayal than physical harm: "to have passed on a swig of poison, preferable."

As the poem unfolds, it also critiques the literary world, citing the ambitions of aspiring poets who attempt to emulate great figures like Aeschylus and Homer but fail to produce work of any consequence. In criticizing these would-be poets, the speaker satirically suggests that nobody is asking the big questions: "not one has enquired the cause of the world, nor whether there be any patch left of us after we cross the infernal ripples, nor if the thunder falls from predestination; nor anything else of importance."

This thread is further embellished by references to Virgil as "Phoebus' chief of police" who can "tabulate Caesar's great ships" and "thrills to Ilian arms." Here, the speaker suggests that poetic pursuits can become subservient to power structures, thereby losing their integrity. However, the speaker himself is not exempt from this criticism. He acknowledges that he too would "make verse in your fashion, if she should command it," indicating that the whims of love can make even a critical mind compliant.

Towards the end, the poem turns self-reflective as the speaker positions himself within the lineage of poets, each defined by their great passion-from Varro's Leucadia to Catullus's Lesbia. The list ends with "now Propertius of Cynthia, taking his stand among these," implicating both Propertius and, by extension, Pound himself in this poetic tradition that grapples with love's intricacies.

In sum, "Homage to Sextus Propertius: 12" offers a rich tapestry of themes-from the precarious nature of love and friendship to the pitfalls of artistic imitation and the compromises made for love. It is a poem of both critique and self-examination, raising questions about human frailty, the burdens of tradition, and the convoluted interplay between love, friendship, and artistic endeavor.

Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!

Other Poems of Interest...