"In a Station of A Metro"

Ezra Pound’s poem “In a Station of the Metro” supports modernism on one hand, yet refutes it with the other. On one hand the poem sees the modernist movement as positive. In his first line, “the apparition of faces in the crowd”, gives an otherwise negative image, a crowd, and gives each person a face, allowing them to become human. He compares the faces in the crowd to petals on a tree, transforming them into beautiful nature. The tree is otherwise barren and dark, except for these petals, which are a symbol of beauty. This creates an image of the first few flower petals emerging in late winter, light emerging from a period of darkness. This can further infer the sense that modernization can help lift some places out of a metaphorical darkness brought upon by a lack of technology.
Conversely, “In a Station of the Metro” also holds in it an argument against modernization. Pound's first line "The apparition of these faces in the crowd", carries a negative connotation. His choice of the verb “apparition” creates a sense of surprise and shock, making readers feel as if the crowd suddenly appeared out of nowhere. Urbanization often accompanies modernism, forcing many into a crowded urban lifestyle. Pound then uses an image from nature, as in his second line he uses the image of “petals on a wet, black bough”. This image is reminiscent to one of wintertime. His choice of the color black signifies the death and destruction that occurs with modernization .The “wet” bough symbolizes tears, which convey a feeling of sadness amongst the crowd. This is often coupled with modernization, as many times native cultures and individualism is lost when people conform to modernism.
Yet in the end I believe Pound intended his poem to serve as ambiguous, in between both movements, not completely siding with either.