The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-04-14
THE SPRING POET g. $ :s Richard ndL Watson ci

WRITTEN o II SUNDAY REPUBLIC.
The relation of the poet to the economic
greed of this iron age is seemingly most
humble. The modern poet is treated much
as q poor relation of the worlds great pro-
gressive family since science has donned the
robes of the prophets and commercial in
tegrity has clipped the wings of magma
ton and even despoiled the Old World
spfendor Of romantic episodes.
Tn poet is the poor relation of this Twen-
tieth Century whirl, contributing songs that
tell OF classic grandeurs of many years
ego, when art was a faith and poetry the
ceremony OF its devotions. The colleges are
turning out classical verse. but little Of 1t
makes any stir in the world, and there are
lovable me- and gentle women grown old in
their service and allegiance to ideals who
in the days Of Greek pre-eminence in all
the arts would have been wearing laurels.
openly honored in the highways and byways
of the city.
Even a man SO widely acknowledged to be
an American poet as Richard Watson Glider
approaches the subject of poetry with a
certain modest timidity that is born direct
" from a sense of the irreverent temper
toward poetry. OF course this he would not
himself say. but the humility of his &C
Acknowledgement that he had written and pub
lished verses betrayed the absence of that
all but fulsome appreciation that gave
dignity and pride of Office to the poets, great
and small. in ages past, when language
was q sacred vehicle and verse a ceremonial
test OF authority in manhood.
To-day the most widely known scribbler
OF poetry is the spring poet. He has driven
the serious, the earnest, the faithful stu
dents Of verse into disrepute with his per-
sistent doggerel, and the result Is that a
young poet is compelled to overcome the
prejudice against him brought about by
Tint ridicrlO11Q most nj the season CnrinU
poetry.
The spring poet has always been an object
Of public interest, being more or less inys-
FERROUS in his symptoms. For this reason
spring is the season that the editor breads
most, and when I went to see Mr.. Richard
Watson Glider for the purpose of talking
the matter over he looked troubled.
II came to secure from you some valua-
BILE advice for spring poets-I-' The
words were scarcely out of my mouth be-
fore Mr.. Glider shivered slightly, and.
touching a miniature bust of ~Thackeray on
his manteipiece. took momentary comfort
In sliding ii nervously from one side to the
other.
Every season, / suppose. has its cpl
demics!" he said at last. looking lard at
Thackeray-almost gratefully, I thought.
THE spring poet is not to be taken seri-
ously." ] commented.
II am a little afraid Of the subject" said
Mr.. Glider. coldly. but there are always
surprises. 1 saw in a Newspaper a hrend-
new spring poem the other day that was as
fresh and pretty ASPIRING itself"
But il was quite clear that even a tue
poet, whose sympathies are generally broad
enough to bear all the burdens of life, feels
the professional sting that turks in the
pallid emotions of spring poetry.
Let us call him the unknown" I said
soothingly.
but he isn't" replied Mr.. Glider.
''Of course he does get into print occa-
sionally."
Print Is his judgment day." m
the poet. impersonally.
1T were better, perhaps, II he were over
locked I said.
Instead of the unknown poet being over
looked there is a danger of his being over
encouraged" said Mr.. Glider. the suspicion
CT a smile on his face.
"fou mean that seriously?'' 1 said.
h desire to discover poets is particu-
larry strong among those who love poetry
apd study II. The editors are SO anxious
not to overlook genius that the new name