The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-08-02
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POETS WANTED.

The accusation that our day and
generation is a sordid, mercenary, I'M
poetic age may seem to be borne out
by the poets, but indications are not
lacking that we would be glad to be
other than we are 1t Is true that
the last two decades have not been
prolific of poets, but it couldn't be
said that they have been unappreciat-
ed when they appeared For example,
the poems of Emily Dickinson, which
contain more genuine poetic insight
than any other verse published of
late years, have had a sale comparable
to that Of the successful contemporary
works Of fiction
During the last month the surface
OF periodical literature has been ruff
fled by the announcement Of the dis
eovery of three new poets. Mr. w. D.
Howells stands sponsor for one of
these, a young eoIored man of Toledo
The second isHa boy of fifteen, engaged
in a rubber factory at the east end of
London; the third, introduced to the
world by both the TChap-Books and the
Lark, is a Japanese youth resident in
Oakland, Call who has learned his
English from Joaquin Miller,
The verse of Mf. Howells' protege
is chiefly notable for the fact that it
reproduces without posing or con-.
seriousness, yet, of course, with GER
tain amount sof s sophfstication, the
note which cHaraeterizes the best of
the untutored negro songs. This feat
implies rare amount of perception
in the writer, but does not necessarily
hold out any promise of a future
which shall be CT interest to literature.
AS for Edmond Curtis. styled '.The
Boy Poet of the East End, = his verse
is melancholy and Wordsworthian,
full of the natural sadness of extreme
youth. The poetry of fifteen-year-olds
is usually more inspiration to the au-
thor than to any one else, and the
verse of Edmond Curtis is no excep-
ton to the rule, but his choice of words
is good in a sedate, fashioned. way,
and his feeling for melody well
marked 1t is quite possible that he
may ultimately write. something poe
try-lovers will care to read.
g Yone Noguchi, the last Of the trio,
has a. vivid poetic .inag ination, and his
expression is unfettered by a knowl-
edge of the traditions of our tongue.
His poems are exquisiteIy well worth
reading, both for themselves and for
the promise they hold forth of what
his output will be when he has ac-
quired a little more knowledge of the
English construction. AS his verse
now is, it is as quaint, as unforeseen,
as full of subtle charm as unspoiled
Japanese art always is for the alien.
Each poem is simply the expression of
an apprehension, a fancy or a mood,
and each one is full of brave meta
phors and phrases which are marvel
ously happy in their Inconsistencies
and sincerity.
But, better than the works of even
the best Of these three new writer's or
NOAo 10 tliC abplEtt3 WHICH HdS, fSOuRnE
them out and welcomed them and
made of their discovery matter Of
some consequence to those who are
interested in the things Of the mind.
We could spare easily enough the
verse which has Interested Mr.. How
els, or Edmond Curtis meditations
in a churchyard,~ Or even Yone No
guchi's delicate incoherent descrip-
tons of midnight gardens and rain
among the redweods, but the valuable
thing. which We cannot spare, is the
temper that finds These various man
ifestations of 4mpsftance. for it con-
stitutes promise that when the
awaited poet comes he will not be un-
acknowledged ~ guoz