Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

In "Tempora," Ezra Pound crafts a wry commentary on the collision of antiquity and modernity, myth and mundane, by using his poetic voice to challenge the audience's expectations. The poem starts with a resonating cry, "Io! Io! Tamuz!" immediately placing the reader in the realm of the ancient, a space populated by mythological figures and gods. Tamuz is an ancient Mesopotamian god of fertility and vegetation, and the cry "Io! Io!" suggests a ritualistic chant. However, this mystical aura is quickly punctured when the Dryad, a tree nymph from ancient Greek mythology, expresses not a timeless lament but a concern that is distinctly contemporary: "May my poems be printed this week?"

This abrupt juxtaposition serves as a satirical lens through which Pound questions the mundane preoccupations of the modern world, especially as they intrude upon the realm of the poetic and the divine. By having a mythological figure ask about the practicalities of publishing, Pound dramatizes the clash between eternal themes and contemporary concerns.

In the line "The god Pan is afraid to ask you," Pound adds yet another layer of irony. Pan, in mythology, is hardly a timid character; he is the god of wildness, shepherds, and rustic music, often depicted as frolicsome and audacious. His hesitance to ask whether the Dryad's poems might be published is comically incongruous, emphasizing the absurdity of imposing modern-day anxieties onto these timeless figures.

Yet, there's a subtle poignancy underneath the satire. The Dryad's question, "May my poems be printed this week?" echoes the existential concern of many poets and artists who wrestle with the tension between creating enduring art and navigating the practicalities of life, such as making a living and achieving recognition. The Dryad's plea serves as a proxy for all artists caught in this dilemma, underscoring the anxiety of artistic creation in a world preoccupied with material concerns.

Moreover, in placing this modern dilemma in the mouths of mythical figures, Pound is also commenting on the diminished role of myth, ritual, and the sacred in contemporary life. These once-revered figures are reduced to worrying about the same mundane issues that plague mortal beings. Through this demotion, Pound laments a lost world where the line between the mythological and the human was not so starkly drawn, and where the sacred and profane could coexist.

In conclusion, "Tempora" operates on multiple layers. While on the surface it appears to be a playful satire, it also offers a poignant commentary on the erosion of the sacred in modern times and the existential anxieties that haunt even the realm of the divine. It questions what has been lost in the transaction between antiquity and modernity, even as it recognizes that contemporary concerns, like the Dryad's desire to have her poems published, are part and parcel of the human experience.

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