The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1913-02-04
1.-THE BEST LIVING
E.
An Appreciation Of Madison Cawcin
Inspired By Shaeznas O'Sheel's
Recent Onslaught.

Inspired By Shaemas O'Sheers
Recent Onslaught
~ 81. n. PECKHAN. West Raleigh.
N. c.
About q year ago, in the columns OF
the Review, l made the statement that
Madison Cawein was possibly our best
living American poet. T%hereupon I
gas severely taken to task by parti-
sans OF Edith II. Thomas. Edwin
Hdarkham. Henry Van Dyke, and one
Or two other leading present-day
fards, all Of whom-the partisans, I
mean-averred that Mr.. Cawein was
only s~econd-rate at best. And now
I notice that within the past few
months Mr.. Shaemus O'Sheel Gin the
New York Times for November II,
1879 has, figuratively speaking,
drawn and quartered Mr.. Cawein.
res1rrected him. and burned him at
4he stake. Now Mr.. O'Sheel is a
very clever young writer, a writer
whom l respect as a critic and ad-
mirr as q poet; but since he has seen
III to dub Mr.. Cawein vacuous, planti-
grade. trite, unreliable, n q few
more things, 1 feel called upon to
speak one or two good words for
M Kentucky poet. Not that Mr..
Cawein needs to be defended. He is
cininently able to take care of him.
sclf. But IL l choose to state that he
Is possibly our best poet, or even GER
tuirly our best poet. l a furnish
abundant data to prove my point.
In the first place. whether the pub
:c knows il or not-whether, indeed,
our young rimesterS themselves realize
IL or not-NladiSOn CaWein has had
a greater influence upon the Ameri-
can poetry of this generation than
has any other writer past or present.
Technical finish and vivid, accurate
description are admittedly two Of the
paramount characteristics of con
temporary American verse, and-ad-
mittedly. ~again-these are two of the
most striking qualities Of Mr.. Cawein's
work. OF course il I leave the state
mcht ct this point I shall promptly
b. accused Of being illogical, Of beg
sing the question. and of trying to
rob Tcnnyson of some of his laurels
10 be sure Tennyson was a great
tsChnician and a wondrOuS descrip-
ttve artist; but the statement h a he
IS he model followed by English anC
American poets OF these later days i.
d statement which everybody make:
and nobody believes. We all know
very well that the way the ambition:
young versitier learns his craft is no
by reading "Idylls of the King o.
Break, Break, Break" in high school
but by perusing the best current mag
alines to see how salable stuff-par
don the vulgar cOmmercialism-i
produced. Well, now, if you will TOOL
over your magazine files for the pas
twenty years or so, you will perceiv
that Madison Cawein has been abou
rs productive as any poet except tn
interchangeable Clinton Scollard. Yo,
will also perceive that Mr.. Cawein'
verses have been more uniformly ex
cellent. more suitable to serve q
models. tina have the verses OF an
otbsr writer nearly so prolific.
The skilfulncSs and technical cor
sectnesS OF Mr.. Cawein's lines are s
proverbial that it is almost IN i'm
position on the reader t mentio
This point here. But SO eager am
to Impress the fact hat his PAL
ticular proverb has as much truth a
truistn about il, that I cannot refrai
from quoting q couple of Mr.. Cawein
most smooth, most tuneful piece
here.
4 ThrenOdy.
In" rainy smell of q ferny dell.
Whose shadow no sunray flaws,
When Autumn sits in the WaysiC
weeds
Telling her beads
OF haws.
The phantom mist. that is ~nloonbean
kissed,
ON hills where the trees are thinne
"hct Autumn leans at the Oak-roOt
scarp.
Playing q harp
Oh Wind.
Tns cricIets' Chiir meath brier al
burr,
By leaf-strcwn pools and ms.
when Autumn stands mid the dro'
ping nuts.
With the hook. she shuts.
or dreams.
the gray alas of the days that pas
And the hone that SAYS .sadieuo