Cathay

Name: Cathay
Author: Ezra Pound

By Ezra Pound

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Poetry

About This Book

A collection of concise English renderings of classical Chinese lyric poems, presented as short, imagistic pieces that capture moments of nature, love, departure, exile, and military hardship. The poems use spare, direct language and varied speaker-voices—women, soldiers, courtiers, travelers—to evoke seasonal scenes, domestic intimacy, imperial spectacle, and border desolation. Arranged as individual lyrics and occasional linked sequences, the translations balance fidelity to fragmentary originals with modernist compression and rhythmic simplicity.

About the Author

Ezra Pound

Ezra Pound (1885-1972) was an influential American poet, critic, and essayist, known for his significant contributions to modernist literature. He played a crucial role in the development of Imagism, a movement that emphasized clarity and precision in poetry. Among his notable works is "Cathay," a collection that reflects his fascination with Chinese poetry and culture. Pound's innovative style and bold experimentation with form and language have left a lasting impact on 20th-century literature. His complex views on art and society, as well as his controversial political beliefs, continue to provoke discussion and analysis in literary circles.