A palimpsest is essentially a sheet of paper or parchment that has been written on multiple times, with previous writings only partially removed. The term also refers to a structure that incorporates an earlier building, particularly from a different historical era. This concept of the palimpsest serves as both a structural framework and a significant theme in The Cantos. Ezra Pound began his career as a scholar of Provencal, the Romance language of southern France, and during his early years in Europe, he traveled extensively through the Provence region. In this part of France, as in much of Europe, cultural layers are stacked upon one another both figuratively and literally. Roman architecture and literature significantly influenced the Provencals, and the Romans themselves borrowed heavily from Greek themes and mythology. Pound had a deep appreciation for Provence and Provencal troubadour literature, tracing its influence forward to Dante, the Italian Renaissance, and even into contemporary times.

Pound was a firm believer in the notion, famously articulated by American novelist William Faulkner, that "the past is not dead—it is not even past." In The Cantos, Pound explores how historical events and ideas underpin our current beliefs and customs. He argued that understanding modern warfare and finance requires a thorough examination of the origins of modern banking in Florence and Siena. His fascination with the concept of the image or "luminous detail" found a counterpart in his study of the Chinese ideogram, where he believed that the fundamental ideas of language were represented in both pictorial and verbal forms. In an early poem, "The Return," he depicts the ancient gods of the classical world awakening in modern times and resuming their influence. Pound believed these deities were not dead, merely inactive, yet their impact persists. Perhaps the most notable palimpsest in the poem is the first canto, where Pound renders into Anglo-Saxon-like English a Latin translation of a Greek text that he discovered at a bookstall in Paris.

Ezra Pound is often criticized for structuring his "Cantos" with transcribed historical documents, which some argue lack artistic merit. However, a significant portion of the poem is dedicated to exploring the idea of beauty. Unlike the early Romantics, Pound was not a nature poet and did not believe beauty was confined solely to the natural world. For him, the interplay between human creativity and natural elements—particularly light—achieves the highest form of beauty. He is captivated by the intense Mediterranean sunlight illuminating the ruins of ancient civilizations, and he envisions these cultures in their prime. To Pound, human aspiration is not futile. He respects historical figures who aimed to cultivate both beauty and justice. Unfortunately, many of the figures he championed, such as Benito Mussolini, Sigismondo Malatesta, and Pope Alessandro Borgia, are now recognized as having been cruel. Nevertheless, he also holds in high regard figures like Confucius, Dante, Guido Cavalcanti, and John Adams, who strove to create societies where art and governance coexisted harmoniously.

The most compelling sections of Pound's poem are his vivid depictions of beauty. In evocative lines, Pound presents images that are not only visually striking but also symbolize good governance and thriving culture. Passages like "Seal sports in the spraywhited circles of cliffwash," "Gods float in the azure air, / Bright gods and Tuscan, back before dew was shed," and "Thus the light rains, thus pours, e lo soleills plovil / The liquid and rushing crystal / beneath the knees of the gods" from the early cantos are unforgettable. In later parts, similar imagery reappears: in canto 74, he envisions "To build the city of Dioce whose terraces are the color...

Time is a recurring theme in The Cantos, and history plays a crucial role in the poems. When envisioning his epic, Pound described it as "a poem containing history" and "the tale of the tribe." He frequently intertwines various time periods, often within consecutive lines. Nearly all of the cantos make dramatic leaps through time. Instead of relying on a chronological narrative, Pound structures his work around ideas and images, allowing him to seamlessly traverse history and geography, such as connecting ancient China with the emerging American republic. His perception of time is akin to Faulkner's, as both authors believe that the past remains present. However, while Faulkner explores a specific region of the United States and highlights how the past lingers for the people there, Pound examines concepts and relationships, drawing comparisons across vastly different eras.