LOTS OF POETRY

New Zealand Listener, Volume 13, Issue 314, 29 June 1945, Page 5

LOTS OF POETRY

Sir,-J.C.B. in his caustic review of "Lyric Poems of New Zealand" refers to Robin Hyde’s work as undisciplined. That word exactly describes the critic’s own effusion. It reads as though it were dictated by personal malice, Good criticism to be of any value should be constructive. A savagé tearing to pieces and throwing to the winds gets us nowhere. Indeed I should imagine it does more harm to the critic than to the criticised. No writer wants fulsome praise, but a little mild understanding, and an acknowledgment that there may be more than one opinion as to what constitutes good poetry would be welcome. Hilaire Belloc put the case in a nutshell when he said:

The true Divine afflatus Needs little apparatus And only when its weak Falls back upon technique. Those of our New Zealand lyricists who as J.C.B. scornfully says, "seem to have got into contact with God" are evidently in good company.

H.J.

H.

(Christchurch).

OUR CROSSWORDS Sir,-I think G. Short will have observed, by a perusal of "Ped Agog’s" letter that the only way to arrive at a correct solution to R.W.C.’s crossword puzzle is to obtain a classical education (specialising in Greek mythology and English literature) and invest in a set of encyclopedias, a zood dictionary, , and a Bible. Without these aids he can‘ot hope to succeed. Meanwhile he will obtain some pleasure by exercising his ingenuity on the synonyms and anagrams, and waiting till "next week" to discover such items as "conical cap of ancient Parcianc " ‘

READER

(Wellington).

Sir,-I am not above the average intelligence by any means, but get quite a lot of fun trying! to work out the crosswords each wéek. I think R.W.C. is doing a really good job. I am not always successful at solving all the puzzle every time, but like "Ped Agog’’-(West-port) I count it time well spent. It is certainly good brain exercise, and‘ as long as there is a Listener, I hope there will be a crossword puzzle.

F.M.

E.

(Foxton).

Sir,-Please allow me a little space to join with others in congratulating your competent crossword constructor, — R.W.C. Eagerly each week I anticipate my tussle with R.W.C, and I always ex-

perience a definite sense of triumph when, my efforts are successful. My only complaint, which is a mild one, is: that the crosswords are too small and that they should be printed in a double column. R.W.C.’s eryptics bring me great pleasure and amusement each week, and I sincerely trust that his (or her, perhaps) attempts to confound me will be a Listener feature for a long time to

come,

ANNA GRAM

(Lower Hutt).

Sir,-May I be permitted to support "Ped Agog’s" well-merited appreciation of R.W.C. and his ingenious crosswords, The puzzles are very cleverly constrycted, and provide a great deal of interest and work to solve.them successfully. Unlike "Ped Agog," I have a modest reference library consisting of only an "Everyman’s Dictionary," a "Pears’ Encyclopaedia," and an "Outline of Literature." Thus the solutign is often elusive, and may take two or three days to work out. This’ has the effect of stimulating the interest, however, and I am grateful to R.W.C. for many enjoyable and instructive hours.

A STUDENT

(Christchurch).