Evening star., 1931-12-18
\achel Lindsay Gave Poetry
Unique Setting, Say Critics

That the American poet, Vachel Lind
| say, mace an impression On his genera
ton before his death is certain How
lasting his reputation will be remains
I Tor time 10 tell, according TO editorial
comment
In the City Of Springfield III. where
| Abraham Lincoln walked at midnight =
Vachel Lindsay was born and there he
died. notes the Houston Chronicle, de-
Scrlbng him as the last Of the trouba-
dourS wandering minstrel. who in
his early days tramped the highways
and byWayS Of the South and West
exchanging verses for his bread and
| logging. As TO the character of the
man and his poetry, the Chronicle COM
mentS: He was not born to lead a
clolstered life Of luxury provided by
some wealthy and obsequious patron.
/ He sought instead the plaudits of the
masses and obtained them. Reading
his poetry you did not see sheltered
homes OF culture beneath New England
elms. You saw instead the roundup
Of milling steers on the last fringe of
Americas far frontier. And you heard
| the Clang Of hammers and the noise of
steel girders sliding into place and the
roar OF the mill. which is America
| Nachel Lindsay sang of the common
! man ana NLdl Ilc IIdS accomplished III
Naticn which was founded for the
common man"
Recording that Lindsay. more than
most poets, conceived of his poems as
being read aloud,' and holding that
one needs to hear them read aloud to
appreciate them fully. while those who
| heard the author read them were most
appreciative of all the BLOOMINGTON
Paragraph pays the tribute: This
Illinois trOubadour will be remembered
by many to whom he has made poetry
living art. He will be remembered,
too for pointing out the color, the
music, the thrill of life on the Mid
west prairies-a life that many East
erners still think of as drab. He did
much to take poetry off a dusty pedestal
and give it new place by the f1reside' y
*
That his "best work was 4trikinglv
individual. definitely original" is the
estimate of the Chicago Daily News as
it recalls that 30 years have passed
since he wrote that oddly titled quantity
and beautifully printed book in paper
covers. Rhymes to Be Traded for
Bread AS a name for a book it was
no jest. Lindsay walked a thousand
miles West, sleeping where night found
him. trading his little book and giving
impromptu programs of readings in eX
change for food and lodging" his pur-
pose being TO bring an art awakening
to every town and crossroads" AS the
Rockford Register Republic pictures
him, For years he was troubadour.
like one of the free singers of the
medieval times, the roadside his king
dom. the stars his friends the poor folk
of the fields and cottages the bene-
ficiaries Of his muse. He found rich
ness of life that most of us miss" In
its tribute to his memory the Register
Republic quotes the first verse of his
poem Abraham Lincoln Walks at Mid
night:
1T is portentous and thing of state
That here at midnight in our little
town
A mourning figure walks and will not
rest,
Near the old courthouse pacing up
and down.
That this poem and "The Chicago
Nightingale will not be overlooked by
lovers of poetry in succeeding genera
tions is the belief of the Dallas Journal
with the conclusion: "Vachel LINDSAY
served poetry in a time that had little
ear for poetry by bringing poetry to the
people and making them listen and like
it. He essayed the role Of troubadour
and with an effectiveness that quick
ened popular interest in modern verse
AS such he served we'll the art which
he championed and the cause of con-
temporary literature"
1t is the opinion OF the youngstown
Vindicator that 'Lindsay's poems are
not deep and he was not particularly
interested in beauty. Rather he cared
more for originality, something fierce
and explosive, that startled by its vio-
l2ticn CT all the conventions Of poetry"
But as the Allentown Morning Call sees
his work, Lindsay struck some new
notes IN AdIericau- :poasH and WIS.