imagism poetry

IMAGIS

M POETR

Y

1909 - 1917

IMAGISM BIO (P. 709)

• Poetic movement that ushered in the Modernist movement

• Attracted followers in both the US and England

IMAGISM THEMES

• Rebelled against the sentimentality of 19th century poetry

• Demanded clear expression, concrete images and language of everyday speech

• Models came from Greek and Roman classics, Chinese and Japanese poetry, and the free verse of French poets

LEADERS OF THE IMAGISM MOVEMENT

• Hilda Doolittle (H.D.)

• Ezra Pound

• Amy Lowell

E.E. CUMMINGS (P. 711)

• Poems had distinctive wordplay, unique typography and special punctuation

• These elements are vital to the poems’ intents and meanings

WILLIAM CARLOS WILLIAMS (P. 711)

• Had an attentive eye on the local world

• Sought meaning in American sights and sounds unlike the writers who traveled to Europe

• Used informal and conversational speech

WALLACE STEVENS (P. 711)

• Explored the shifting relationship between reality and the fictions that the imagination creates

MARIANNE MOORE (P. 711)

• Famous for her lines and syllable counts and quirky, unforgettable images

• Used quotes from “real-world” texts (business documents and school books)