New-York tribune., 1915-11-28
Bv Edward Alden Jewell.

Amy Lowell, one of the most brill
,... .,oonents of the new school, says so en-
-'.,..Iy. She says America is only begin
"a wake up to its own cultural posi-
snI... The attainments of culture are all to
:. made actual and nation which has been
.,v,ossed in the vast process of establishing
s..v will find time later on for the cultivation
:, .bose arts without which life for so many
...-I. only q condition of futility and sordd-
ness.
sThe Republic Is arousing itself already" she
declared Poets to-day have a better chance.
wider appreciation is waiting to receive them
and spprase them"
do you think poetry here is likely to be-
come subsidized" asked, half convinced that
such practical and concrete cooperation as that
must represent a kind of poets Nirvana.
Il sincerely hope not" she replied. Il most
sincerely hope that nothing of the sort may
ever come about. Struggle is very much bet
ter Without struggle there is distinction
IN survival. If the odds against us are great
Ills safe to assume that only the worthy will
finally achieve And that, surely, is as it should
BE- There are many poets, but, as always,
there can be only few great poets.
II cannot but think" she continued, that
this Is the beginning of a new poetic era in
America. 1 should rather call it the begin
ming Of the beginning. We who are writing
to-day are but laying foundation for those
who will follow us. We are just in arts vesti-
bue, and the work OF those who follow will
be more wonderful than ours. We are the
voices crying in the wilderness Others will
perfect what we have begun
FECUNDITY IN NEW SCHOOL.
"It Is a time of great unrest There is
mighty movement afoot which is directed
toward true goals of achievement. There is
wonderful fecundty in the new American
school. Much that is produced may prove
abortive, but firmly believe that out OF SO
many ardent attempts some genuine triumphs
must come.
There are many brilliant young poets at
work here now-too many, OF course, TO emu
,,erate exhaustively. There is Edwin Airing
ton Robinson, very great poet, one lmouec
with what Arnold called high seriousness
And there is Robert Frost, OF extraordinary
originality. who nanifests fine fidelity to
truth. follows the best traditions and employs
an excellent style Edgar Lee Masters has
written one of the most noteworthy novels in
all our literature 1t is called Spoon River
Anthology and is done in bald vers hbre
There is Louis Untermeyer, who has not
ss yet tried any innovations, but whose work
Is impregnated with modern feeling, and who,
In high seriousness, approaches Robinson.
josephine Preston Peabody is producing some
Of the finest lyric verse in modern literature,
following classic lines, however, and not writ
ing in the newer style. There is John Gould
Fletcher, a poet of extraordinary imaginative
power, who is working along the lines OF the
most advanced modernists. l think the most
perfect examples of pure vers hbre built on
Creek classic models to be found in the Eng
EA language are being produced by young
poet who signs herself H. D.
TECHNIQUE IS NECESSARY.
what American poets need is more thor
ough education in the rudiments OF their art
Think OF the labor which must be spent IN
any other art before technique is developed to
poin, rendering Interpretation possible. Just
as much study should be spent on the mechsn-
ism Of poetry. 1t is all nonsense to talk OF
being born poet and to argue that this alone
Is requred-that the born poet is prepared
IRON the very start, to turn out poems that are
great and will be enduring.
Il think the English poets, as rule, are
better founded in their art than American
poets. Development of technique is carried to
higher point over there, though l do not
consider the mind OF the English poet nearly
80 interesting and vivid as that of the Ameri-
can poet. Conditions are rather easier in Eu-
rope-often too easy.
Poets must work and work hard. They
must throw themselves heart and soul into
their work Anything worth achieving entails
iahnite self-sscrihce, devotion, absorption.
Work is the secret. For this reason 1 am
gisd struggle in America is essential. 1t is
tor this reason / most sincerely hope that the
Path OF our poets may not be made easy for
uem. The true poet is one who will forge
mead through whatever odds may be piled
bis way. With the poet who complains
nat his artistic temperament forbids his
Working 10 earn his daily bread have abso-
n'sy no patience"
LIKES TO DISCUSS POETRY.
Amy Lowell was giving a small tea party
the St. Regis. She left her guests to talk
WIN me sbou, poetry. / liked to fancy that
us hostess really preferred talking about
poetry 20 drinking tea
ihe interview was briskly crowded full OF