The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-03-06

A good many people know what poetic
license is; large number think they know,
and an overwhelming majority of the popu-
Iation know nothing whatever about it.
Those who know what it is use it sparing
ly; those who think they know, abuse it
shamefully; those who have no ideas on
the subject refrain from writing verses and
may be considered useful citizens.
But there is still another class, and
tremely vague in their notions as to what
constitutes poetic license are possessed of
original and meritorious ideas as to what
it ought TO be. Among these persons,
bright particular star is one Nicolo w. Ma
cinteero, whose name proclaims him to be
of Latin origin, but whose present habitat
is somewhere in the wilds of Missouri. Nj
colo, who. by the way, may be the very
one who played the piccolo'' in the wiz
ard of o. is a poet. But he does not be-
long to the lawless school OF bards who
from time immemorial have considered it a
mark of genius to defy convention and ride
rough-shod over the rules of righteousness.
He is a law-abiding citizen and he is anx-
ious to comply with all the regulations.
So he sits down and writes to the license
commissioner at st. Louis. asking what a
poetic license will cost him, and what for
malities are necessary in order to obtain
one. Nor does he omit TO file samples of
his work. according to Patent Office regula-
tons. All these things prove Nicolo to be
an honest man, a good citizen and one who
has the fear of the law before his eyes. His
name suggests that previous to entering
the poetry business he had engaged in the
banana traffic, or possibly-being artist
at heart-had sold plaster statuettes on the
street corners. If so, he knew what II
would mean should the police catch him
without his license. But let US examine a
piece of his samples:
Dear Sir: l want to know quite soon
How you folks in ST Louis. who always
have a moon,
Will treat a man who wants to do right.
And help you with his literary kind of light
My friends tell me i am a very good poet,
And the worlds fair coming this year is
the time for me to show it,
That will be sufficient. Oh, those friends.
Those friends. Is there no way for the law
to reach them? But Nicolo w. Macinteero,
for all that, has made brilliant and timely
suggestion His letter will produce no di-
rect results, because the state of Mis-
souri, does not issue poetic licenses But
why not? All. A crying need is exposed
Let Miscarriage, let Indiana-look to 1t.
Make the license high. like a liquor license
high enough to discourage all but the
very best. What a great work for legis-
latures is thus opened; what praise will fu-
ture generations give TO those who pa IS
such laws. Then, too, the holder of such a
license would be legally safe from being
mobbed; Nicolo himself could hold to his
papers and defy the world. There should be
a civil-service examinations of some sort The
samples inclosed should come up to certain
standard-not necessarily hxed-for. of
course there must be one standard for Mis-
souri, and another for Indiana. 1t is de-
lightful to contemplate. But when all
these righteous laws are passed, let us not
forget to whom we owe them; let us revere
the memory of Nicolo w. Macinteero, poet.
of Missouri