1. The Importance of Words
The Imagist Movement

2. “Imagism”: A definition
“Clarity of expression through the use of precise verbal images”
This movement was popular from

3. Main Tenets of Imagism
Be economic in your word use—every word in your poem must have a specific use. Otherwise…get rid of it!
Be direct. Don’t talk around the idea.
“Compose in sequence of the musical phrase.” In other words, use free verse instead of sticking to a specific rhythm.

4. Some Imagist Poets Ezra Pound H.D. (Hilda Dolittle) Amy Lowell
William Carlos Williams

5. Example of Imagist Poetry
so much depends upon
a red wheel barrow
glazed with rain water
beside the white chickens.
William Carlos Williams “Red Wheelbarrow”

6. Effects on Poetry
All poetry is somewhat imagist. Words are important because poetry is usually short. Poets are artists who use words to paint pictures in our minds. If we can understand the imagery in a poem, we will usually come closer to understanding the poem as a whole.

7. References
Clark, Robert. “Imagism.” The Literary Encyclopedia.
Williams, William Carlos. “Red Wheelbarrow.” Norton Anthology of American Literature. Ed. Nina Baym