Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-04-30
The Value of Criticism

Our friend Dove Dulcet, the we'll known
sub -caliber poet. has recently issued
slender volume of verses called Peanut But
ter He thinks We may be interested to see
the comment of the press on his book. We
don't know why he should think so, but any
way here are some of the reviews:
Buffalo Lens: Mr.. Dulcet is a sweet
singer, and we could only wish there were
twice as many of these delicatcly rhymed
fancicS There is not a poem in the book
that does not exhibit a tender grasp of the
beautiful homely emotions. Perhaps the
least successful, however, is that entitled
ION Losing Latchkey."
Syracuse Hammer and Tongs: This little
book of savage satircs will rather disnay the
simple minded reader. Into the acid vials
of his song Mr.. Ducct has poured bitter
cynlclSm lie seems to us to be an ire
mediablc pessimist, man of brutal and
cmbitcred life. In one poem. however. he
does soar to a very fine imaginative height.
This is the ode "On Losing a Latchkey."
which is worth all the rest of the pieces nut
together.
New York Reaping Hook 1t is odd that
Mr.. Dove Dulcet, of Philadelphia we be-
lcvc, should have been able to find a pub.
Usher for this volume. These queer little
doggercls have an instructive affinity for
oblivion. and they will soon coalesce with the
drftwood of the literary Sargasso Sea.
Among many bad things we can hardly
remember ever to have seen anything worse
than "On Losing a Latchkey.''
Philadelphia Prism Our gifted fellow
townsman, Mr. Dove Ducet. has once more
demonstrated his ability to set humble
themes in enhancing measures. He calls
his book Peanut Butter. A title chosen
with rare discernment, for the little volume
has all the SAVIOR and uourishing propertes
of that palatable delcacy. We wish there
were space to quote ''On Losing a Latch
key" for it expresses a common human
experience in language of haunting melody
and witty brevity. How rare it is to find
a poet with such metrica skill who is CON
tent to handle the minor themes of life in
this mood of delicious pleasantly. The only
failure in the book is the banal sonnet en- :
titled ''On Raiding the Ice Box" This
we would be content to forgo.
Pittsburgh Cylinder: 1t is a relief to
meet one poet who deals with really OK.
alted themes. We are profoundly weary of
the myriad yersifers who strum tbe 50.
called lowly and domestic themes. MIR. Dull
Get however, in his superb free verse. has
scaled olympian heights, disdaining the ems
tomary twaddling topics of the rhymestcrs.
Such an amazing allegory as '.On Raiding
the Ice Box" which deals, of course, with
the experience of man who attempts To
explore the mind of an elderly Boston spin :
ster. marks this powerful poet as a man of
unusual satirical and philosophical depth.
Boston Penseroso: We find Mr.. Dove
Dulcet's new book rather battling. We take
his poem "On Raiding the Ice Box TO be
a paean in honor of the discovery of the
North Pole but such poem as ''On Losing
Latchkey" is quite inscrutable. Our
guess is that it is an intricate psyche
analysis of a pathological case of amnesia
Our own taste is more for the verse tba,
deals with the gentler emotions of every
day, but there can be no doubt that Mr.,
Dulcet is an artist to be reckoned with.
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ma hnne tha ice box at the Hotel de,