Ezra Pound was an American poet, critic, and translator who was a major figure in the early modernist movement of the early 20th century. He is best known for his long poem The Cantos, which he wrote over a period of more than fifty years. Pound was also a major influence on the development of Imagism, a poetic style that focused on precise imagery and clear language. Pound's work was highly influential in the development of modern poetry, and he is considered one of the most important poets of the 20th century.