Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-06-14
Prize Essay "Modern Verse"

Florence Fuller of Waterville won
the senior prize for the finest essay.
she presenting a treatise on Modern
Verse. 1t was in part as follows
Il must down to the seas again, to
the lonely sea and the sky,
And all ask is a tall ship and star
to steer her by,
And the wheels kick and the winds
song and the white sails shaking.
And a gray mist on the seas face and
gray dawn breaking.
l must down to the seas again, for the
call of the running tide
Is a wild call and a clear call that
must not be denied;
And all ask is windy day with the
white clouds flying,
And the flung spray and the blown
spume, and the sca-gulls crying.
I must down to the seas again, to the
vagrant gypsy life.
To the gull's way and the whales
way. where the winds like a whet-
ted knife:
And all ask is a merry yarn from
laughing fellow rover,
And quiet sleep and sweet dream
when the long tricks over.
This poem is, perhaps, fine ex-
ample of the startling realistic tend
cncy which is VERT characteristic of
our modern English speaking poets.
John Masefield, the writer Of this bal
lad, exhibits in his work, marked ex-
ampleS of the modern trend in poe
try. a genuine poet and Il genuine
sailor are rare combination and
they have produced rare poems of
the sea, which have made Mr.. Mase-
fields position in literature secure:
for. as someone has said. He has
prisoned in verse. the spirit of life at
sea-. In his youth he was a seafarer,
and later traveller by land and sea.
where he lived and associated with
persons from all walks of life.
In contrast. nerhaps. perhaps. to
Mascfield's is the poetry of Alfred
Noyes which has more Of a lyrical
and fantastical nature. Noyes is one
OF the most spontaneous and fluent
writer's OF modern English poetry.
Whether he is mystical. dramatic.
playful. or marching along the course
of long narrative poem, he handles
his verse with case and grace. His
language. his rhythm and his thought
are beautifully blended in his grace
full singing lyrics. The work Of Noyes
Is inspired by the desire to show that
al! things and all souls arc
One with the dream that triumphs
beyond the light of the spheres,
We come from the loom of the Weav-
err, that weaves the Webb of Years..
One of our most popular English
poets. since Tennyson. is Rudyard
kipling. Ever since he was a small
boy, he has travelled. and there are
not many parts of the world that he
has not seen. His best works dea!
with life in India. Both his prose
and poetry show originality, force and
love of action. In "Barrack Room
Ballads" the soldier is again celehrat-
ed in vigorous songs with swinging
choruses. "Mandalay". Fuzzy Wuz-
zy' and DANNY Deever" show
spirited verse and bold use of dia-
lcct. His opinions of questions at is
sue are always given with sincerity
and true patriotism. The best known
OF kipling's patriotic songs, and per-
haps noblest poetic effort. THE Re-
ceSsionar', was inspired by the six
tleth anniversary of Nictoria's reign
The opening stanZa of this majestic
song could appropriately be called a
prayer for all nations:
God of our Fathers, known of old
Lord of our far-flung battle line
Beneath whose awful Hand we hold
Dominion over palm and pine
Lord God of Hosts. be with us yet,
Lest we forget. lest we forget"
a fourth poet of whom both Eng
lnnd and America are proud in Rob-
ert Service. a Canadian poet and nov
elist who has won fame for his STIR
ring ballads OF life in the Yr',on He
has been called the canadian Kip
ling. His poems and stories deal
with frontier days. the rough life of
the miner. the hunter. and the trap
per. They have a characteristic swing
which suggests the freedom of the
Yukon as he saw it. In them g re-
vealcd the spirit Of the outdoors and
the call of the wild for the man who
is willing to give his all.
Have you gazed on naked grandeur,
where there's nothing else to gaze
on,
Set pieces and drop curtain scenes
galore.
Big mountains heaved to heaven
which the binding sunsets blazon,
Black canyons where the rapids rip
and roar?
Have you swept the visioned valley
with the green stream streaking