Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

ON THE FLY-LEAF OF POUND'S CANTOS by BASIL BUNTING

Poem Explanation Poet Analysis

First Line: THERE ARE THE ALPS. WHAT IS THERE TO SAY ABOUT THEM?
Last Line: FOOLS! SIT DOWN AND WAIT FOR THEM TO CRUMBLE!
Subject(s): POETRY & POETS; POUND, EZRA (1885-1972);
There are the Alps. What is there to say about them?
They don't make sense. Fatal glaciers, crags cranks climb,
jumbled boulder and weed, pasture and boulder, scree,
et l'on entend, maybe, le refrain joyeux et leger.
Who knows what the ice will have scraped on the rock it is smoothing?

There they are, you will have to go a long way round
if you want to avoid them.
It takes some getting used to. There are the Alps,
fools! Sit down and wait for them to crumble!



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