Keats is, in my opinion, an important writer...yet not a modern one. I was
speaking strictly of 'modern poetics'; comparing Keats to Williams in such a
way was alluding to the fact that my peers do not see Williams as being an
important modern figure, rather a relic of the past for scholars to quibble
over. I do, however, believe Williams to be just as important, if not moreso,
than Keats in terms of our collective poetic history, considering Williams
was at the forefront of vers libre, subsequently shaping what we know as
poetry today. Keats was undoubtedly a master, Williams though, he seems to be
more of an innovator, an inventor.
As for the influence of Pound...the first 'post-modern' epic (The Maximus
Poems) written by Charles Olson is heavily influenced by Pound, as well as by
Williams' Paterson. Pound seems to have had an influence on many of the
'Black Mountain' poets, Olson and Creeley included. Although in Creeley's
case, it was Pound's shorter work, the 'bardic voice' from Personae...and
again Williams also. Although I've studied Pound, Creeley has told me to keep
'Williams as touchstone', and I believe for good reason.
 
--CB