How we cite our quotes: (Line)
Quote #1
no picture is made to endure nor to live with
but it is made to sell and sell quickly (12-13)
According to Pound, modern art isn't built to last, but only to sell. In other words, artists don't make art anymore wondering if people will still like it in 100 years. They only care about whether someone right now will be willing to pay money for it.
Quote #2
Stonecutter is kept from his stone
weaver is kept from his loom (21-22)
In a world where people can just make money off of other money (like playing the stock market), truly talented people don't bother producing anything real anymore. Pound decides to symbolize this lack of production by claiming that usura keeps a stonecutter from his stone. His phrasing here suggests that usura has somehow ruined the destiny of the stonecutter, who was born to work with stone but doesn't because of usura.
Quote #3
wool comes not to market
sheep bringeth no gain with usura (24-25)
Continuing with his theme of hating on usura, Pound here says that basically nothing gets done if everyone decides they just want to make money off of banks and stocks. For Pound, it makes no sense at all to live in a world where people just make money off of money. If everyone did that, then nothing would ever actually get done in the real world.