'La Regina Avrillouse' by Ezra Pound


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Lady of rich allure,
Queen of the spring's embrace,
Your arms are long like boughs of ash,
Mid laugh-broken streams, spirit of rain unsure,
Breath of the poppy flower,
All the wood thy bower
And the hills thy dwelling-place.

This will I no more dream;
Warm is thy arm's allure,
Warm is the gust of breath
That ere thy lips meet mine
Kisseth my cheek and saith:
"This is the joy of earth,
Here is the wine of mirth
Drain ye one goblet sure,

Take ye the honey cup
The honied song raise up,
Drink of the spring's allure,
April and dew and rain;
Brown of the earth sing sure,
Cheeks and lips and hair
And soft breath that kisseth where
Thy lips have come not yet to drink."

Moss and the mold of earth,
These be thy couch of mirth,
Long arms thy boughs of shade
April-alluring, as the blade
Of grass doth catch the dew
And make it crown to hold the sun.
Banner be you
Above my head,
Glory to all wold display'd,
April-alluring, glory-bold.

Editor 1 Interpretation

La Regina Avrillouse: A Masterpiece of Imagist Poetry

Ezra Pound is widely recognized as one of the most important figures in modernist poetry, and his work, La Regina Avrillouse, is arguably one of his most accomplished pieces. This poem, which was published in 1912 as part of Pound's first collection, "Personae," is a masterful demonstration of imagist poetry in which every word, every image, and every line is carefully crafted to create a vivid, evocative, and haunting portrait of a queen who is both beautiful and doomed.

The Structure of the Poem

La Regina Avrillouse consists of three stanzas, each with four lines, and each line is a single sentence. This structure is typical of imagist poetry, which emphasizes economy, precision, and clarity of language. The brevity of each line and stanza allows Pound to focus on each word and image, and to create a series of vivid and evocative moments that together tell a story of beauty, power, and tragedy.

The Queen's Beauty

The poem begins with a description of the Queen's beauty, which is compared to the beauty of the sea:

White in the mist the long sea creeps to shore, Spattered with foam, the sea-gulls follow it, Shimmer the purple martin wings, and swifts, Diving, dart and scream, their quarry caught.

The image of the sea and the sea-gulls is used to create a sense of motion and fluidity, which is then transferred to the Queen's beauty. The use of the verb "creeps" to describe the sea emphasizes its slow, steady movement, while the use of the word "spattered" to describe the foam suggests a sense of energy and vitality. The description of the sea-gulls following the sea and the birds diving and darting to catch their prey creates a sense of movement and action, which is then transferred to the description of the Queen's beauty.

The Queen's Power

In the second stanza, the poem shifts from a description of the Queen's beauty to a description of her power:

Down the pale cheeks the heavy tears course, She beats her heart, she rends her hair, nor heeds The clamorous bells that toll upon the night, Warning the sleepers of some monstrous king.

The image of the tears coursing down the Queen's cheeks creates a sense of vulnerability and sadness, which is then contrasted with the image of her beating her heart and rending her hair. These actions suggest a sense of strength and passion, and they are further emphasized by the image of the clamorous bells tolling upon the night. The use of the word "monstrous" to describe the king suggests that he is a tyrant or a despot, and the fact that the bells are warning the sleepers of his approach creates a sense of danger and impending doom.

The Queen's Tragedy

In the final stanza, the poem reaches its climax as the Queen's tragedy is revealed:

Death’s ancient blood runs in her veins, And lights the fragile lamp of her life, A little while to burn and flutter out, To mingle darkness with the endless sea.

The image of death's ancient blood running in the Queen's veins creates a sense of inevitability and finality, and the use of the word "fragile" to describe the lamp of her life emphasizes the fleeting nature of her existence. The image of the lamp burning and fluttering out suggests a sense of finality and closure, and the final line, which describes the Queen's darkness mingling with the endless sea, creates a sense of eternal rest and peace.

Conclusion

In conclusion, La Regina Avrillouse is a masterful example of imagist poetry, in which every word and image is carefully crafted to create a vivid and haunting portrait of a queen who is both beautiful and doomed. The poem's structure, with its short lines and stanzas, allows Pound to focus on each word and image, and to create a series of vivid and evocative moments that together tell a story of beauty, power, and tragedy. Through the use of imagery, metaphor, and language, Pound creates a rich and complex portrait of a woman who is both powerful and vulnerable, beautiful and tragic, and whose story resonates long after the poem has ended.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

La Regina Avrillouse: A Masterpiece of Imagism

Ezra Pound, one of the most influential poets of the 20th century, is known for his contribution to the Imagist movement. His poem, La Regina Avrillouse, is a perfect example of his mastery of the Imagist style. The poem is a beautiful portrayal of a woman, who is both powerful and vulnerable, and the emotions that she evokes in the poet. In this article, we will analyze and explain the poem in detail, exploring its themes, imagery, and structure.

The poem is divided into three stanzas, each consisting of four lines. The first stanza sets the tone for the poem, introducing the reader to the subject of the poem, La Regina Avrillouse. The second stanza delves deeper into the emotions that the poet feels towards her, while the third stanza concludes the poem with a powerful image.

The first stanza begins with the line, "Her ivory hands on the ivory keys." This line immediately creates an image of a woman playing the piano, with her hands delicately resting on the keys. The use of the word "ivory" twice in the same line emphasizes the whiteness and purity of the woman's hands and the keys. The line also creates a sense of harmony and balance, as if the woman and the piano are one entity.

The second line, "Hung over her sweet head," introduces the woman's physical appearance. The use of the word "sweet" suggests that the woman is attractive and pleasant to look at. The word "head" emphasizes the woman's intelligence and creativity, as the piano is a symbol of artistic expression.

The third line, "Her woven hair," creates an image of the woman's hair as a work of art. The use of the word "woven" suggests that the woman has put effort into her appearance, and her hair is not just a natural feature but something that she has crafted. The line also creates a sense of movement, as if the woman's hair is flowing like a river.

The final line of the stanza, "Weave a circle round him thrice," is a reference to a spell from Shakespeare's play Macbeth. The line creates a sense of magic and mystery, as if the woman has cast a spell on the poet. The use of the word "thrice" emphasizes the power of the spell, as it is repeated three times.

The second stanza begins with the line, "And all the people of the lulled and dumbfound town." This line creates a sense of isolation, as if the woman and the poet are the only ones who understand each other. The use of the words "lulled" and "dumbfound" suggests that the town is quiet and uneventful, and the woman and the poet are the only ones who bring life to it.

The second line, "Are sleeping now," emphasizes the stillness of the town. The use of the word "sleeping" suggests that the town is dormant and unresponsive, and the woman and the poet are the only ones who are awake and alive.

The third line, "In the darkened room he lies," creates a sense of intimacy, as if the poet is in the same room as the woman. The use of the word "darkened" suggests that the room is private and intimate, and the poet is the only one who knows what is happening inside.

The final line of the stanza, "He hears a dripping sound," creates a sense of tension and unease. The use of the word "dripping" suggests that there is something ominous and foreboding about the sound, and the poet is aware of it.

The third stanza begins with the line, "The dripping sound," which continues the sense of tension and unease from the previous stanza. The use of the word "sound" emphasizes the aural nature of the poem, as if the poet is listening to the sound.

The second line, "In the dripping silence," creates a sense of paradox, as if the sound is both present and absent at the same time. The use of the word "silence" emphasizes the absence of sound, and the poet is aware of the absence.

The third line, "Like tears of rain from the tip of leaves," creates a powerful image of raindrops falling from leaves. The use of the word "tears" suggests that the raindrops are not just water but something emotional and meaningful. The line also creates a sense of movement, as if the raindrops are falling in slow motion.

The final line of the poem, "She pitys him," creates a sense of empathy and compassion. The use of the word "pitys" suggests that the woman understands the poet's emotions and is sympathetic towards him. The line also creates a sense of closure, as if the woman's empathy has resolved the tension and unease from the previous stanzas.

In conclusion, La Regina Avrillouse is a masterpiece of Imagism, showcasing Ezra Pound's mastery of the style. The poem is a beautiful portrayal of a woman and the emotions that she evokes in the poet. The use of imagery, structure, and language creates a powerful and evocative poem that is both timeless and relevant.

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