Question

select the correct answer.

what ideal of imagist poetry is best reflected in this poem by ezra pound in which he compares a crowded metro station to a flowering tree branch?

in a station of the metro
the apparition of these faces in the crowd;
petals on a wet, black bough.

poetry should be about urban subjects and ideas.
old poetry should be rewritten in a modern style.
poets should be able to describe ordinary subjects in new ways.
poets should write about new subjects with conventional techniques.

Explanation:

Analyze the poem and its context

The question asks which ideal of Imagist poetry is best reflected in Ezra Pound's famous two-line poem, "In a Station of the Metro":
"The apparition of these faces in the crowd;
Petals on a wet, black bough."

The prompt notes that Pound compares a crowded metro station to a flowering tree branch. This is a direct application of Metaphorical Comparison and Poetic Imagery to capture a fleeting moment in a modern, everyday setting.

Evaluate the core tenets of Imagism

Imagism was a early 20th-century movement in Anglo-American poetry that favored precision of imagery and clear, sharp language. Imagists sought to write about ordinary, everyday subjects (like a subway station) using fresh, unconventional techniques rather than traditional, flowery poetic structures.

Assess the given options

• Option 1: "Poetry should be about urban subjects and ideas." While the poem is set in a metro station, Imagism does not dictate that poetry must be about urban subjects; they wrote about nature and classical themes as well.
• Option 2: "Old poetry should be rewritten in a modern style." This does not capture the primary ideal of creating original, direct images.
• Option 3: "Poets should be able to describe ordinary subjects in new ways." This perfectly aligns with Imagism. Pound takes a mundane, ordinary modern scene (a crowded subway platform) and describes it in a completely new, vivid way by juxtaposing it with natural imagery (petals on a wet, black bough).
• Option 4: "Poets should write about new subjects with conventional techniques." Imagists explicitly rejected conventional, traditional poetic techniques in favor of free verse and concise imagery.

Therefore, the third option is the correct choice.

Answer:

• (A) Poetry should be about urban subjects and ideas.
• (B) Old poetry should be rewritten in a modern style.
• (C) Poets should be able to describe ordinary subjects in new ways. (Correct answer)
• (D) Poets should write about new subjects with conventional techniques.