In the following essay, Rajan presents a negative assessment of Imagist aims, techniques, and achievement.

SOURCE: "Imagism: A Reconsideration," in Modern American Poetry, Dennis Dobson, Ltd., 1950, pp. 81-94.

An article on Imagism can claim to be doubly justified in any symposium on modern American poetry. The movement assembled, particularly in its criticism, many of the tendencies which went to make up the 'Poetic Renaissance' and is consequently often discussed in detail in academic histories of the period. But it is also notable for a different reason; it is perhaps the only movement with a wide American influence, to have had English practitioners and an English following. Having said this much one is compelled to add, that the intrinsic importance of Imagism cannot now be considered very great. It produced a small amount of competent minor poetry, engaged the interests of Ezra Pound for a few years and helped...