The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1916-12-27
Don Marquis
Column

II is, OF course, possible TO extend
the science OF verse 30 as to include
rhythmic effects differing from the
traditional effects and attn produce
poetry. But In IT possible 10 depart
altogether from any science Of verse
Whatever and stilI produce poetryr
Many OF the writer's OF free verse seem
TO think SO. They have very generally
repudiated the assistance OF q ira.
ditionai science without invepting or
evolving q new one. And they have
In many instances presented us with
interesting raw materials for art
for II 10 not possible 10 build an art
otherwise than on the foundations Of
q science. The musicians, the scuip.
tors, the painters, the architects.
know this. There may be q soul with.
out q skeleton, but there can be no
body without one. And no art, how.
ever spiritual, IL built OF soul alone:
whatever its appeal to our immortal
parts may be. that appeal must be
made through material apparatus we'll
handled. through physical media.
None may do violence to the particu.
lar material quality, to the inherent
genius. to the essential juice. OF the
medium In which he works, and pro.
duce art. Even music bases itself up.
on the vibrant, physical air. II II q
fad OF some critics TO write OF one art
In the terms OF another; but actually
the worker must stick TO his medium
and respect II.
Excellent Oppertssity.
And yet the writer's OF free verse.
tickied and stuns with an itch for In
novstion a. they are. have had an ex.
celicnt opportunity thaving attained
q hearinEJ to extend and enrich the
traditional science OF verse, or oven
TO originate something like a new
science OF verse-and they have over
looked tho chance.
They have failed because they have
not perceived the possibilities OF their
physical mediunl because they have
not understood tho English language
as a medium. There are. speaking
very generally, three large groups Of
rhythms In English: The rhythms OF
verse traditional versel. tNo rhythms
OF written prose, and tho rhythms OF
common speech. The rhythms OF writ
ten prose are much more numerous
than those OF traditional verse. and
We are less sympathetical'y conscious
OF them. The rhythmp Of our common
speech. the tunes and cAdences 10
which We unconsciously sing pur ordi'
nary conversation, are not often iden'
ID lAs
prose. These speech cadences and
rhythmr arc more nearly akin 90 the
rhythms OF traditional verse than to
the usual rhythms of written prose.
The opportunity OF the free verse
writer's (since they had such q patient
hearingD lay In the direction OF en-.
rIching verse with moro and more OF
these speech cadences: OF extending
the existing science OF verse. or OF
formulating something like . new
science, so as TO Include q whole new
variety, OF rhythmic effects. But they
did not do it. They drew upon exist
ing rhythms OF written prose insteaf.
The result In a collection OF prose
rhyihms that gain nothing through
being arranged In the typographical
form OF traditional verse. And. by the
way, since they discarded the tradi'
tionai rhythms OF we're. why were
,hsy so InsIstsnt upon retaining the
,raditionaI Typographical aspect OF
y,r.eYe
xs Science Net Isysstsd.
The free verse writers hANe 'u'nou
away from the traditional science OF
v.r.. without inyentinK q new one.
~. -. 49, n,oauc.a any poetry.
nu' nav -, .,.. po.,ry
poetry as distinct tTom Nefse' '"N'S
some OF the oest OF mem a -
duced; yes poe'I' ~ ' n"..Iv
that certain passages
printed tradit,ona prose y -,
ed poetry, W. speN v 80. az.
mercy ''s. -, nos,ic idcs
ana smotion here and there In their
nroduc,Ions. there are few OF those
nrodnctions which are In themselves
nosms when you scatter ton lines OF
you do not get a poem, even though
the twenty lines OF prose shouiu DC
OF equal ideal value win inc Ten
lines OF poetry the mere verse OF
poem tS mere phsS'e e,' ~
It's sciehtuie ponee.
ward toward eeI'n "n @
presslon or ns s S.,na