The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-01-27

ginus. thai poetry by shadows or images
makes II seem 70 Us that we behold these
things which the poet paints. and that
the end thereof is delight" Here
the speaker. TO substantiate this
theory. read extracts from the poems
of Shelley. whitcomb Riley and Maur-
ice Thompson, calling the attention
OF his auditors 70 the methods or
each poet, and that however variant
their manner OF execution the principle
was perfectly exenplihed: that each
thought was conveyed by picture or i'm
age. untrue in itself but perfectly true in
It's effect upon the mind One OF the poems
especially, called The Assault" being a
description OF the effect produced upon the
mind CT the poet by the swift erratic flight
OF humming bird from flower TO flower,
was entirely made Up, the by line. and
verse by verse, OF a tangled web OF glo-i-
Gus images, not one Of which was true, the
result of the whole, however. being an
absolutely true and hawless picture.
Passing from this view Of the means used
by the poets IN the construction Of their
poems. the speaker desired to enter fis
vigorous protest against the oft-repeated
fallacy that poets compose their best works
in sort OF high frenzsed enthusiasm.
dashing off poem as rapidly as pen could
ny across the paper. claiming that on the
contrary no good poem was ever written
that was not the result Of long and pains
taking labor.
Apart from other interesting citations.
the speakers acquaintance and hong per-
soual friendship with James WhtcoIub
Riley enabled hum to speak ex cathedra Of
the manner in which that gifted author
composed his poems; and Ii was asserted
that Mr.. Riley produced not more than
twenty lines a day, and often not half that
much; and that like Poe. and many other
authors, he cd not write the lines OF his
poem consecuttvely from the beginning 10
the end, but often first composed some or
the later stanzas OF the poem, and then
gradually built up the structure by adding
stanzas at the close or a. the beginning, or
an intermediate one, as the thought should
develop itself in his mind.
Indeed" said the speaker. almost
every poem was wrought In that manner.
Beyond the mere beauty and value or the
central thought of the poem or stanza, the
conco1aitant melody. rhythm and imagery
are the three most important features. A
great thought may easily escape US, or It's
full force and beauty be unobserved. IL
eouched in unattractive language and pre-
scented TO the mind In form devoid OF
Of symmetry.
by the art OF the poet the mind is
startled and attracted partially by the
meiodic measure, partially by the strange
and forcible imagery and partially by the
ton. II Is easier TO memorize poem than
a prose composition OF equal length, partly
because Of the impression created by tie
noble images, but mostly by reason or the
waves OF melody and harmony produced
by the rhyme and rhythm. The fact that
a sensitive soul is nobly stirred by the
measure as well as the thought of great
poem is strong evidence that the emotional
nature OF the reader is OF a high order.
do not agree with those who claim that
such nature should be restrained rather
than cultivated. While cold learning and
solid, concrete practical knowledge are Of
very high value, yet the cultivation OF the
emotions Is OF equal value. All the great
est achievements to be hoped for In the
future, or to be sought for in the past will
bs found TO be the result OF. or vastly as
sisted by, the volcanic energy of emotional
natures.
ships pass and repass across the ocean
wastes, moved by the winds nicely cap
tured and the force thereof applied by the
cunning construction and management or
the sails. but a more direct, quicker and
more glorious passage is accomplished by
the great steam vessels that move by the
force OF internal fiIss. So the greatest &C
complishments wilElbe found to have orig
mated, not with the artifcers, who cum
ningiy and coldly planned a route, but by
the noble, sensitive and emotional natures
that grasp by a sort OF intuition a great
idea and strive with it to accomplishment
by fiery, emotional inner natures, that
brook neither delay nor defeat
THE study OF poetry. the cultiva-
ton of the poetic nature, the accom-
plishment OF the power of presenting
thoughts, whether IN verse, In prose writ
ing or in oratory, by startling and pictur-
esque imagery, will result in broadening,
strengthening aud clearing the mind and
giving power to stir the reader or nearer
to a degree that no cold realist can ever
hope to attain