WHO is America’s most important literary figure? He is a man whose name and work is unknown in his country today because he was also a great patriot. This unknown poet, who created a great body of work, and who influenced and aided more writers than anyone in our history, is Ezra Pound. Ignored by the American people to whom he devoted his life, Ezra Pound died in exile in Venice, Italy, November 1, 1972.
Because of his battle against the international usurers, Ezra Pound spent thirteen years in a madhouse as America’s Unknown Prisoner. He was the most prominent victim of the Communist tactic of committing a political opponent to the insane asylum. Charged with treason he spent thirteen years without trial confined in what he termed “the Hellhole.” I and a few others, lacking money or influence, did what we could to interest the American people in his plight, and in 1958, the charges were dropped.