Which statement is true about the imagist movement?

• A. Imagist poetry relies on elaborate metaphors
• B. Imagist poetry aims to use exact words and as few words as possible
• C. Imagist poetry rejects imagery altogether
• D. Imagist poetry favors long, narrative structures

Answer: (B)

Imagists strive for precision and economy of language, presenting a direct, clear image rather than ornate description. The statement that imagist poetry aims to use exact words and as few words as possible captures this aim, because the movement prized exact diction and brevity to illuminate a moment or sensation.

They advocated a direct treatment of the thing through concrete imagery, using plain speech and cutting away filler. A well-known example, In a Station of the Metro, shows how a single, precise image can carry meaning without florid metaphor. Elaborate metaphors, long narrative structures, or rejecting imagery altogether don’t fit this approach; imagism centers on precise, economical language that presents an image clearly and immediately.