The morning news., 1889-03-03

TIE INSPIRATION, ART AND MECH
ANISM OF POETRY.
Mrs. Wilcox Presents a Few Rules for
Prospective Poets-A Poet at Eight
Years of Age.
Copyright 1897

OehA . VA A6O-
Copyright 1887
New YORK, March, al have been
asked to write a letter on the methods of
poetical composition. For period of fully
twenty years poetry has been to me loved
art, and practical business. SO long an
experience in any occupation wherein some
thing of success has been achieved entities
one to the right to discuss his methods and
to make known his ideas, even though his
abilities are subject of question with dis
appointed authors'-otherw critics.
l am almost daily asked in person or by
letter show poetry is writUen,p whether it
comes by inspiration or slow labor of the
brain; whether it is necessary to study the
mechanical construction of verse, u
whether the idea springs Minerva-ike fun
formed from the Jove-brain Whether.
poets seek for rhymes In dictionaries, or
find them waiting on the pont of the pen;
SO numerous are the questions asked me
that may be pardoned if somewhat per-
sonal mention of my own methods is OBJ
servabe in this article.
Quite well-kuown author has recently
declared his opinion that by the careful
study of the mechanism of verse and the
rules governing it, any person OF ordinary
[ differ from the learned gentleman.
Very good verse may be writtenain this
way if one he's the patience to grind it out,
| but not poetry. We might as well say that
any person can become musical composer
| who learAs the rules governing its construc-
| ton.
Poetry-the poetry which touches the
hearts of the readers-must first surge
| through the heart of the poet independent
| of any rule, until it reaches his brain where
| it shapes itself into form. just as an ocean
| billow sweeps with uurestrained force and
unpremeditatedf fashion until it breaks on the
shore in glittering spray, or mountains of
| beautiful foam.
| Correct rhythm and proper accent and an
| ear for rhyming sounds must be born with
| tue poet or else ne is no poet. Just as true
| time, and a correct ear must be born with
the true musician. Without these natural
| gifts ONLY second or third class work can
| be achieved.
The musical composer needs no book to
tell him when he strikes false chord, or
| when his phrase lacks a measure He can
| create new forms and improvise imm ortal
| creations from his own brain and heart, but
if he wishes to write a sonata, or sym
phony, he must first comprehend the rules
and adhere to them.
| had published three books of verse, and
had maintained livelihood by writing what
my editors chose to call poetry for ten years
before | understood what constituted SON.
net or knew the meaning of the word hema-
| meter Although / wrote verses at years
of age and was passionately fond of poetry,
| / found no interest in that part of my gram
| mar dedicated to scanning lines and de-
scriptive of different forms of meter. So |
was absolutely without knowledge Of any
rules save those my ear taught me, until
about ten years ago, when | became de-
sirous Of understanding the mechanism of
a sonnet read some of Mrs Browning's,
some of Shakespeare's some of ROsetti's, g,
and others, and found sufficient variety in
their forms to puzzle and confuse me as TO
the proper construction. Finally | was
told to purchase little book entitled ''The
Rhymster," by Tom Hood, and therein
found samples of the most perfect sonnets,
ballads, triolets, rondels, etc. in existence
with all the rules governing them. The
book contains general information regard
ing all kinds of verse, but while it would be
invaluable to a mere verse builder, it would
be of of no assistance to natural poet, save
| in its specimens of sonnets and other arbi-
trary forms. found great entertainment
the first year after Ipurchased the book in
Harvesting my wild and untrammeled muse
into a conventional vehicle. In an article
wrote at that time regarding styles of verse
l said we might consider the sonnet the
brains elegant coupe, the ballads the more
elaborate but cumbersome coach, the triolet
the jaunty dog cart.
The sestina, the rondeau and rondel in
dulged in during that year, but | soon lost
interest in all these artificial vehicles for
the conveyance of thought save the sonnet
of which r. w. Glider has said:
''This was the flame that shook with Dante's
BREATH
The solemn organ whereon Milton played,
And the clear glass where Shakespeare's shad
ows fall. -
The sonnet seems to me, in poetry what
the cameo is in jewelry. 1t requires a
strong idea, choicely set in few rhyming
sounds, and fine climax of thought and
expression. 1t is the most difficult and
most beautiful form Of verse when well ex-
ecuted.
There are fashions in poetry as in novels,
and in clothes. The most ancient speci mems
of verse we have are rhymeless and form
less-weird aud wild lays i'm orovised by
troubadours and minstrels. Later came the
stately odes and sonnets, and then the TO
mantle and sentimental school Next we
might place the ''erotic" and. perhaps, now
the philosophical school to which Emerson
belonged pred ominates over the erotic.
say perhaps" | am curious to know just
when the first specimens of rhyming verse
were written. / have nsver been able to
discover.
The natural poet is always vastly amused
at the idea Of rhyming dictionary.
think most poets find their only difficulty in
that respect the choice from the number
that occur. Rhymes fly in f1ocks to me
seldom singly. l think of dozen ways
might rhyme a couplet-and to decide
which is the better is often nice point
| am almost daily asked how my poems
come to me-whether | think them up,
find them in books, or am inspired. +" The uni
verse seems to me to be filed with thought
germs, and unwritten poems people space
In walking down the street wholly intent
upon some worldly matter, the purchase Of
new gown. or something equally material
the soul germ of a poem, on an entirely
different subject, has pierced heart and
brain like needle of light. | have had the
same thing occur in coIversing with people
or while reading a book. frequently. in
such cases, can trace its source to some
remark that has been made or TO somethi "
/ have read. But quite as frequently il
comes unheralded and mysteriously. From
the moment this mental conception takes
. place, | consider the poeu practically writ
ten. lt NAV be a day, week. or a monta
before ! give it form and expression, but
know during all this time that whenever
choose TO invoke them, both form and ex.
preston will come.
There is peculiar exhilaration in this state
CT mental pregnancy. To carry abou., un-
known to those nearest you, an unuttered
and beautiful thought which you believe
| will when deliyoroi and clothed with