The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1914-02-10
POET HAS COME
INTO HIS OWN,
SAYS MACKAYE
Followers of the Muse Now Get
ting Real Money" Says
Poetic Dramatist
DECLARES POETRY Is
GROWING MORE POPULAR
The Time When Bogus Goods
Get BY" is Past Forever,
Though. tie Insists

A man can make a good living writ
ing poetry today mind YOU, mean
real poetry You cannot fool people
With bogus stun.
We lpoetSl visit the barber just as
any ether rational human beings and
eat three square meals day.
IL 4 poet feels that the public has
no sympathy with him, be Is not
real poet
GOOD poetry never fails 10 register
It's impression on the minds OF peo-
Pile.
our stage has lacked artistic lead
ership here has been no organ!za-
ton en- The artistic side
American life il teeming with
thrilling poety-but our people ara
700 busy With practical affairs aud
money grabbing TO see H.
There IS no such thing AS high
brow
We can never write over the heads
OF TIE people
Success is a foolish word My only
regret has been that / could not write
better plays.-From an interview with
Percy Mackaye IN the New York Re
view by Colgate Baker
This is the day OF the poet, poetry
and the poetic drama have come into
their own. Al least Percy Mackaye de.
clareS they have. and he should know
whereof be speaks. for he has made a
living writing poetry and poetic dram
as he has always been an exponent
OF this highest type OF dramatic CON
SrFfl(lfnn - a a. inlay
about Sappho before hes had been
graduated from Harvard And only
recently A romantic poetic play OF
his. "A Thousand Years Ago" was
produced in New York with great sue
cess. This is q drama of old China,
and Is one OF the most artistic and
imaginative plays seen in the metrop-
oils in many seasons
And poetry is growing more popu-
lar every day says Mr. Mackage.
Why. the American people appre-
Ciate poetry mere today than ever be-
fore In our history" az said recently
TO Colgate Baker OF the New York
Review The sales OF books Of
poetry are by actual statistics greater
than ever in the past. and poets are
getting more money for their work
Real money!"
Yes, indeed. as much as $3.50 for
single poem from magazine A man
can make a good living writing poetry
today mind you, | mean real poetry.
You cannot fool people with the bogus
article II must De the genuine stun
Take Alfred Moves OF England -he il
an example. lie lives on what he
earned writing verse, always has for
that matter. and he IS we'll fixed to-
day
We visit the barber today just as
any other rational human being and
We eat three square meals regularly
without suffering any loss OF inspira-
tioa After all, why not-why should
the poet not be human?
There have been great difficulties
In the way OF the poetic drama. In
the iirst place, the public is to blame;
there has been no great cry for poetic
drama. Producing managers must be
governed TO large extent by de.
manG. and are. Of necessity. oppor-
tunists giving the public what IL asks
for THIS generation OF theater-goers
has not expressed any marked desire
for poetic drama, in rhyme or blank
verse. Luck is the principal factor
in plays success Only about 20
per cent Of the plays produced sue
coed, and often the successful plays
are not The best
Il always assume failure @nen
write play, SO am never disap-
pointed To have a genuine hit In tne
theater It Is necessary for a number
Of forces. some OF which are entirely
beyond the control of the dramatist,
10 converge and meet. There are the
clements OF umeliness, public inter
est theater lOcauon and other things
which must be right 10 make a sue
cess The author. OF course, cannot
control any OF these influences. which
make or ruin his play.
II write blays for the love Of the
work-now please do not assume that
hate TO make money: We all 10 in
there days. At the same time IL is
the work. fCf J. prefer TO call n work
rather than art. which Is the big and
important thing. We never do our
work to perfection, but the effort 20
come as close as one can 10 what
one considers the ideal is the great
motive which inspires the real
dTamatist.
III a poet feels that the public has
no sympathy with him. he Is not real
poet ayd il is HRS own fault and not
the falilt OF the public. People always
give q poet just as much sympathy as
he deserves the test IL the merit OF
his poetry II IL lacks merit the public
does not appreciate H. But good poetry
never fails TO register its Impressions
an tI4 minds pf fha penpla