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kieranhamilton's review against another edition
3.0
Cathay is incredibly short, so short I was in fact surprised to finish it so quickly. However some of the poems do require contemplation so I will likely re-read most of this.
I was somewhat frustrated that the original Chinese wasn't given, only the English so there is little to be noted on this as poetry in translation, instead we are given only Pound's imagery, and a few asides to Fenollosa's notes.
On the whole I did not find the selection remarkable or indicative of a theme, rather as is noted only those that are 'unquestionably poems' are chosen... But what constitutes a poem we are left to understand only from the further works of E.P.
As for the poems themselves they are beautiful, capturing the imagery of the originals clearly and for the mosr part, retaining the mood and emotions of the originals. In many ways the emphasis on the imagery is itself what retains the other aspects so ultimately exposes the importance of Pound's point that rhythm and metre are only secondary characteristics to what constitutes a poem.
I was somewhat frustrated that the original Chinese wasn't given, only the English so there is little to be noted on this as poetry in translation, instead we are given only Pound's imagery, and a few asides to Fenollosa's notes.
On the whole I did not find the selection remarkable or indicative of a theme, rather as is noted only those that are 'unquestionably poems' are chosen... But what constitutes a poem we are left to understand only from the further works of E.P.
As for the poems themselves they are beautiful, capturing the imagery of the originals clearly and for the mosr part, retaining the mood and emotions of the originals. In many ways the emphasis on the imagery is itself what retains the other aspects so ultimately exposes the importance of Pound's point that rhythm and metre are only secondary characteristics to what constitutes a poem.
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