Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1873-03-17
POETRY TO ORDER.

Every Man and Woman their Own
POet-Just How she Thing IL Done
Poets are no Longer born, but
Made.
A clever jeu dsprit (says the Scots
mani has just been published at Oxford,
J entitled, Every Man his own Poet; or,
the Inspired Singers Receipt Book-by
n Newdigate Prizeman. There is
enough of truth in what follows to give
it a satiric point" Poetry, like free
thought, was first work of inspiration,
secondly of science, and lastly now of
trick. At its first stage it was open to
only here and there genius; at its next
to all intelligent men; and at its third to
all the human race. Thus, just as there
is no boy now but can throw stones at the
windows which Bishop Colenso broke, so
there is scarcely even young lady but
can raise flowers from the seed stolen
out of Mr.. Tennyson' garden And
surely, whatever, in this its course of
change, poetry may have lost in quality,
is more than made up by what it has
gained in quantity; for, in the first
place, it is far peasanter to the tastes Of
scientific generation, to understand
how to make bad poetry than to won
der at good and, secondly, ag tho end OF
poetry is pleasure, that we should make
it each for ouselves is the very utmost
that we can desire, since it is fact in
which we all agree, that no mans verses
please him so much as his own.
Here is recipe for making Brown
ing:b pTske rather coarse view OF
things in general. In the midst of this,
place man and a woman, his and her
ankles tastefully arranged on slice of
Italy, or the country about Pornic Cut
an opepihg across the breast of, each,
until the soul becomes visible, but be
very careful that none Of the body be
lost during the operation. Fpgf intpI
each breast as much as it can hold Of
the new, strong vine of love; and, for
fear they should take cold by exposure,
cover them quickly up with quantity Of
obscure classic quotations, few iamli,
lar illusions 10 an unknown period OF
history, and half destroyed treseo by
an early master, varied every Aog and
then with reference TO the fugues OF
toccatas of quite forgotten composer.
If the poem still be intelligible, take
pen aud remove carefully oil the neces-
sary articles.
Here for the pre-. .Raphaeiite niktiRei
"Take three damozels, dressed in
straight nigl,t-gowns. Pull their hair
pins out, and let their hair tumble all
about their shoulders. A few stars may
be spFipkled into this with advantage.
Place au aaraole about the head Of each,
and give each lily in her hand, about
half the size Of herself. Bend their
necks all different ways, and set themin
q row before a stone wall, with an apple
tree between each, and some large flow
ers at their feet. Trees and flowers of
the right sort are very plentiful in church
windows. When you have Arranged Rll
these objects rightly, take a cast of them
ia the softest part of your brain, and
pour Ia gour word composition as above
described. This kind Of poem is much
improved by what - called 2 burden.
This consists Of a few jingiing words,
generally Of an Archaic character, about
winch we have only to be careful that
they hava 70 reference 70 the subject OF
the poem they ave TO ornament They
are inserted without variation between
the stanzas. .l-
This is for a patriotic poem a Ia Swim
burne: Take one disappearing patriot
who has been hung or buried some time,
together with the oppressed country be
longing TO him. Soak these in guam
tity Of rotten sentiment til they are
completely sodden, and in the mean
while get ready an indefinite number Of
Christian kings and priests. Kick these
till they are nearly dead; add copiousiy
broken fragments Of the Catholic church,
and mix al together thoroughly. Place
them in a heap upon the oppressed