The Patterns

The Patterns - meaning Summary

Facades of Maternal Virtue

Pound presents two brief portraits of mothers whose outward success masks differing private realities. One, faithful in public but unfaithful in secret, maintains appearances; the other provides material comfort and happy children. The poem compresses moral contrast into a few lines, prompting readers to weigh reputation, private conduct, and the visible effects of parenting without offering judgment. Its brevity sharpens the tension between image and reality.