Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

In "Ikon," Ezra Pound offers an exquisite meditation on the role and responsibility of art to create beautiful and noble images that enrich not just our earthly lives, but potentially our eternal souls. It speaks volumes about the philosophy of art that Pound himself adhered to-a manifesto of sorts that advocates for the transformative power of artistic creation.

The poem starts with a clear statement: "It is in art the highest business to create the beautiful image; to create order and profusion of images." Here, Pound equates the role of art with a high calling-almost a religious duty. It's not just to decorate or to entertain, but to furnish "the life of our minds with a noble surrounding." This concept aligns with Pound's broader aesthetic ideology, which often emphasized art's utility in elevating human consciousness and enriching emotional and intellectual landscapes.

The poem then ventures into metaphysical territory by contemplating the afterlife: "And if -- as some say, the soul survives the body; if our consciousness is not an intermittent melody of strings that relapse between whiles into silence." Here, Pound integrates a concern that has occupied humanity for ages-the question of life after death. The imagery of "melody of strings" conjures an ephemeral, almost delicate perception of life, one that could easily "relapse into silence." But if life persists beyond death, Pound argues, the function of art gains an eternal dimension.

The final lines bring the poem to its philosophical climax, positing art as something that will accompany us into the "tenantless spaces" of the afterlife, providing "an abundance of sounds and patterns to entertain us in that long dreaming." In this view, art becomes a vessel for eternal human experience, "to strew our path to Valhalla; to give rich gifts by the way." The reference to Valhalla, the hall of slain heroes in Norse mythology, evokes a realm of everlasting glory and celebration. Art, in this conception, enriches our journey toward such a divine and immortal state.

"Ikon" serves as a profound comment on the transcendent role that art plays in human existence. It's not merely a cultural artifact or a product of its time, but a critical aspect of the human soul and its journey-be it finite or infinite. Pound's words ring as a powerful reminder that art is not just a luxury or an accessory to life, but essential to the very quality and perhaps perpetuity of our existence. With this work, Pound elevates the role of the artist to that of a spiritual guide, one whose creations can illuminate the darkest corners of our being, offering us "rich gifts" that may very well be eternal.

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