Welcome to Poetry.com!

Discuss the poem Meditatio with the community...

https://www.poetry.com/poem/13295/meditatio

Newest Oldest Popular

42 Comments

 

Notify me of new comments via email.

Publish

• 

  Xuan-An

  forever confused

  LikeReply3 days ago
• 

  jonsaviours

  Succinct

  LikeReply14 days ago
• 

  StRhaiven

  One element of great poetry is irony, let's keep this in mind as I lay my full critique before you:
  
  Ezra Pound’s poem “Meditatio” is a brief (unlike this critique) but insightful reflection on human and animal nature. With just a few lines, he offers a humorous yet pointed critique on humanity, inviting readers to examine themselves in a lighthearted yet profound way. Here’s a closer look at its elements:
  
  1. Structure and Brevity: The poem’s free-verse structure and concise form are typical of Pound's style, allowing him to make his point without unnecessary embellishment. The brevity amplifies the impact of the last line, which leaves readers with a sense of unresolved curiosity. This structure mirrors the theme of the poem—questioning and self-reflection—by leaving space for readers to ponder.
  
  2. Juxtaposition and Irony: The poem’s humor emerges from the juxtaposition between humans and dogs. In the first two lines, the speaker seems to elevate humans as “the superior animal” after observing dogs’ “curious habits.” This initial setup feels somewhat playful, as dogs are often endearing in their habits. However, the twist comes when the speaker reflects on human behavior and admits, “I am puzzled.” This irony is clever: after declaring humans superior, the speaker’s confusion about our own nature undercuts that claim, suggesting that humans might be even stranger or more contradictory than animals.
  
  3. Theme of Self-Reflection: At its core, “Meditatio” invites readers to question humanity’s assumed superiority. By setting up a seemingly simple comparison between humans and dogs, Pound subtly critiques human behavior, implying that we may not be as rational or “superior” as we like to believe. The poem captures a sense of humility, challenging us to question our own actions and attitudes with the same critical eye we might use when observing animals.
  
  4. Tone and Humor: The tone is lighthearted yet contemplative, blending humor with subtle depth. The humor comes from the speaker’s straightforward and almost naïve observation about animals, which becomes unexpectedly profound when turned back onto humanity. This humorous tone makes the poem approachable while encouraging readers to consider a deeper message without feeling judged or preached to.
  
  5. Language and Word Choice: Pound’s choice of words is minimalistic yet impactful. Terms like “carefully consider” and “compelled to conclude” initially sound serious, almost scientific, as though the speaker has deeply analyzed the subject. However, this formal language contrasts with the casual and puzzled confession in the final line, “I am puzzled,” which makes the speaker sound more human and relatable, as though admitting defeat in trying to fully understand human nature.
  
  6. Philosophical Undertones: Despite its simplicity, the poem raises philosophical questions about humanity’s place in the natural world. By comparing humans to animals, Pound subtly hints at the idea that our complex more »

  LikeReply21 days ago
• 

  ravixalgorithm

  That's exactly what I think when I see Humans

  LikeReply26 days ago
• 

  qanitaamer5

  LikeReply1 month ago
• 

  gumawajustinryan999

  Please read my poem too.

  LikeReply 11 month ago
• 

  bentomnivore_9

  "When I consider the curious habits of man
  I confess, my friend, I am puzzled." Wow lol this hits hard

  LikeReply 11 month ago
• 

  nelzealoursmotoe1

  Straight forward and intriguing at the same time. This is well crafted.

  LikeReply2 months ago
• 

  apehoward1995

  So much said in so few words. Like a picture is worth 1000 words, this one nailed that picture perfect straight.

  LikeReply2 months ago
• 

  karlcfolkes

  Herewith the end of it all: Is a man’s thick skin after all much better than a dog’s rough bark?

  LikeReply 12 months ago
• 

  mayukhsarkar2022

  What a great literary piece

  LikeReply 12 months ago
• 

  Pruett1023

  Awesome! I enjoyed reading your post. Keep up the good work.

  LikeReply3 months ago
• 

  kazbrekker

  Unexpected but preety cool

  LikeReply3 months ago
• 

  Shocam

  Wow. Less words, big meaning

  LikeReply 13 months ago
• 

  Ayamdapo

  Beautiful

  LikeReply3 months ago
• 

  alvinl.62833

  This poem tries to explore human nature with an insight, written in simple English but in profundity. Piquant!

  LikeReply 13 months ago
• 

  ezrayoungboy

  I loved reading about the historical context of Ezra Pound, an interesting story regarding uplifting other poets and elevating them.

  LikeReply 13 months ago
• 

  beg_d

  The poem was short, yet interesting...
  Pointed out that man was the superior animal, but his actions and ways of living proved otherwise....

  LikeReply 13 months ago
• 

  qanitaamer5

  Wow

  LikeReply3 months ago
• 

  Emile

  Puzzled indeed.

  LikeReply 13 months ago
• 

  devparth9784

  great

  LikeReply4 months ago
• 

  aliciam.47728

  Nice!

  LikeReply4 months ago
• 

  Dianejean57

  Beautiful.

  LikeReply4 months ago
• 

  MaliMis1986

  All I can say is you have incredible writing skills... Keep up the amazing work!

  LikeReply5 months ago
  • 

    Capgras19

    hes dead. hes been dead since 1972.

    LikeReply26 days ago
• 

  LatinX

  Great poem!

  LikeReply6 months ago
• 

  stephenson_p

  I totally resonate with your feelings. I must admit that man indeed is a very complex being. Sometimes I wonder how we manage to keep it all together even while spinning in a million rings of complexity. But then, this is the life we were given. None of us choose it so yes! Like you, I am puzzled as well. more »

  LikeReply6 months ago
• 

  vandhana_k

  Good feel.

  LikeReply6 months ago
• 

  Davismatt926

  Beautiful

  LikeReply6 months ago
• 

  daddymagic

  Drivel is what that is. Sorry but there is an easier way to say humans confuse me but they're better than dogs. Why should anyone care. sorry just an opinion

  LikeReply 27 months ago
• 

  alanswansea18

  I love it good job.

  LikeReply8 months ago
• 

  stevekritselis_1

  You know what I am just gonna say it. I think tha

  LikeReply 18 months ago
  • 

    stevekritselis_1

    it didn't let me finish. I think that poem is just stupid. Sorry. This guy is a great poet???

    LikeReply 18 months ago
• 

  stevekritselis_1

  Ok I'm dumbfounded. How is that a poem? It seems that I have no idea how to make a poem

  LikeReply8 months ago
• 

  pkmason1954

  Trite.

  LikeReply8 months ago
• 

  Dianejean57

  You got that right.

  LikeReply9 months ago
• 

  keith_k

  To read this poem in reverse is to discover a confession from a puzzled man who considers the habiting making man the supreme animal compelling this conclusion when considering the habits of any a dog (or other animal), which suggests man always already inherently comes to inhabit this attitude. more »

  LikeReply 111 months ago
• 

  ravi_panamanna

  Pound is generally coined as Poet, Lover, and Lunatic. However, this poem is a fine observation of man. A man displays a curious and diverse nature, often unpredictable. The human mind is like a drunken monkey which is already a lunatic, bitten by a snake and a scorpion! Just think of the state. more »

  LikeReply 211 months ago
• 

  keith_k

  Interestingly, Pound does not "carefully" consider the habits of men, which, on the one hand is the reason he becomes puzzled, and, on the other hand, he tends to arrogantly make this consideration without any regard. more »

  LikeReply11 months ago
• 

  konpreah

  The idea being human intelligence is no match for canine fidelity. At least, where such qualities can be observed in the animal, these should serve as a simile for what so much of humanity lacks.

  LikeReply 21 year ago
• 

  vandhana_k

  See the thunder light.

  LikeReply1 year ago
• 

  jerrywlawrence2666

  lol Consider All My Meditations Happily Enhanced By Such A Stellar Piece.

  LikeReply 21 year ago
• 

  luisestable1

  What a contract is seen in this. When I see dogs... But when I see man...
  This is a good poem of which much can be said. The language is simple but speaks much.

  LikeReply 21 year ago
• 

  VandhukK33

  My dear Ezar pound.

  LikeReply 11 year ago