The Arkansaw traveler., 1885-02-28
rHR AMBIaUrrY OF PoEsY.
lH. s. Keller, in Yonksrs Gaset,e.l

tf1. .. Keller, n HonkefS Gaxeffe.1
 Poetry, as purveyox cf mea,s ideas, fact, fiction and the triction of mentality poses as most amhiguons item in the category of false pFetence. Though
 am 10th to tear the veil from impression.
 able hearts, yet, for the sole purpose oi
 relieving an already ovsrburdened pub
 lie, ] take this stylus in hand, 90 to speak,
 to puncture divers foibles to which the
 poet mind is given. have, in my day,
 been guilty of poetixing to the fa.thest
 bent of conscientious scTuples. Most
 writers of verse will not OWE up to this
 honest self-accusation and, even l am
 hazardous of the result of this plain as- sertion, for fear some of my lady friends
 will think l have been lying to them all
 along, when, in more or less metrical gush, have sworn te the abundance ef
 their graces, beauties and surpassinR charms. But the era of a new year is
 here. If kind Providence will permit,
 shall, from this out, tell the plain, un-
 vanished truth, even though incur the
 relentless hate and iSnominious scorn of
 tbe fair sex. The poet who wrote a son.
 net to his pets eyebrows was sadly
 afflicted with color blindness, and also
 deficient in ideas concerning the geo.
 metrical proportions of lines and curves
 of beauty. He wastes a vast amount of
 gray matter and sorely impeverishes the
 cerebral acumen by inditing a touching
 sonnet to pair of rectangulax, inxaposi-
 toned, fiery eyebrows, caiing them
 Lines of witching grace, ~hcse beauty
 lends attraction to thy face" This is
 plain case of ambiguity; yet it s, so far as the interesting occasion calls for, per fectly excusable It would be a, mighty interesting situation for the singer, and not at all poetical if he were to tell the truth. Pitiless rain and the cold of the sleet, fToze the bare skin of the poor poets feet" This is very dangerous skit, and any persol who can read fur ther ought to be voted the prize medal for supreme patience. Te the world the poet has but one physical organ-she 1 stomach !she has fee. the world kne~. eth of it only through the medium of'an l over-abundance or deficiency of metrical | precision in his tuneful lays. The real l facts of the case are: The poet who l writes aboat "bare feet" "rain, pitiless rain" gnawing of hunger and parched | lips" etc., IS enc who is won't to toast his l shins before a fire, smoke imported l cigars, eat tropical fruit and sip Madeira from frosted Bohemian glasses. This is } ambiguity delightfully."- personi6ed. Al more gsaring case of the same kidney, ! but of a. most gyuesome aspect, is thet poor devil who drags ons 3 miserable { .xistenae among the chill environment of ! ! Bowery garret, subsisting upon red { ,errings and "soger crackers, and dash ng of, with wonderful felicity, gay notes about tho "sweefs ef love-" glow oft tights in the ball room and "tinkling of glasses pFessed to rosy lips" He it is vho writes most of the verses singing the pleasures and eDFaptsres of society. society, aNer the fashion of his minds would not let him sweep down Is basement stairs with the tail of his 'oas. Poor poets His case of ambi- ,uity is quite excusable. It does no harm, Q the world. The society his pen, with lot uugraceiul measures, sings of, loves fis works, without caring a nickle for~Ei Jim. A rcd herring and mug of stale -roton his supper, a wretched pallet up.E lnder the caves his bed, apd-dreams. lreams of bewitching sweetness his, lumber's fancy. S