POETRY OF TO-DAY.

Hokitika Guardian, 23 July 1926, Page 4

POETRY OF TO-DAY.

AN INTERESTING SURVEY

A comprehensve survey of English poetry of the last ten years was given by Mr J. H. E, Schroder at Monday night’s meeting of the Christchurch branch of the New Zealand Classical Association at Canterbury •College. There was n large attendance. Mr Schroder said that the world had changed, not only naturally, hut also mentally and spiritually, since 1914. Since then much poetry had been written in many strains on divers subjects. However, if there was in it <no idea more dominatng than that of «u----other. it was the spirit of scepticism. The modern poet took nothing for granted. Hardy and Houseman, who fell outside the period under review, contained much of this spirit- of pessimism. This qualtiy could well prove a source of weakness as well ns of strength, and it was not a great poetic age for this reason.

The lecturer went on to explain the prcent dnv poet’s attitude to Nature, and their use of it in their work. He quoted extensively 'from Blundcn ns an example of this. “Most modern poetry is extremely personal in tone,” went- On Mr Schroder. “Manv of them think of themselves as the centre of the Universe, and the reader is apt to exclaim, ‘What is this to do with me?’ ” There was' not sufficient radiation of thought outwards. •'Many modern poets were inclined to be very brief. This was due in part to the fact- that they were catering for modern taste, which demanded concentration and precision. Another feature of tlio poetry of today was that it concerned itself more with subjects which excited the mind than those which excited the heart. Poets were treating now subjects some of which were chosen from modern science, hut the curious tiling was that these now subjects rarely generated eld emotions. Mr Schroder characterised the modern poet is an “adept in the use of metre.” Lousiness was the prevailing ehareteristic. They were not so expert, however, in their use of vowels and consonants. Sonic poets of to-day averred, and quite rightly, that it was possible to get rhythm without adiunl construction. Their ’practice, however, foil far short of their theory in this respect. Colloquial diction was a lonium of modern poetry, and much ol this bail been learnt from Browning. Phots, however, had 1/ottered their instruction.

Mr Schroder interspersed his remarks with readings from the works o! manv modern poets.