Poetry Reviewed

New Zealand Listener, Volume 31, Issue 780, 2 July 1954, Page 10

Poetry Reviewed

ISTENING to reviews of the New Zealand Poetry Year Book and a anthology. by New Zealand women poets over 3YA’s Book Shop and the 3ZB Book Review, I felt that the poets were ill served by their critics. The first approach by a man was a genial enumeration of his likes and dislikes, while Sarah Campion’s "forthright" expression still gave u$ little idea why she came to those conclusions. Time is a factor that works against the reviewer on these sessions and possibly the NZBS should see to it\that more time is given to an art at once so exalted and as exacting as that of poetry, and which, in addition, has as much if not more relevance to us than even Guthrie Wilson’s new novel, more searchingly examined by A. R. D. Fairburn. We do not, however, want an extension of time for the mere expression of intuitive opinion, however accurate, afd justice is more important than either frostiness or geniality. The best critic explains why he holds the opinion he does, ‘condescends to illustrate the point at issue, focuses not, as sometimes happens, upon his own erudition, but upon the merits of the verse; and in

doing these things is, at least, pleasantly instructive to the listener and, at best, helpful to the poet himself.

Westcliff