Our Poet Laureate

Radio Record, Volume III, Issue 44, 16 May 1930, Page 24

Our Poet Laureate

QGURELY no choice could be approved more generally than that of John Masefield, poet, novelist, and dramatist, to sueceed Dr. Robert Bridges to the position of Poet Laureate. Masefield is a living example of the axiom that "poets are born, not made," for while still a lad serving before the mast at sea he was composing music for sea chanties, and before long we were to judge of his mastery of the music of the written word. His first long, narrative poem, "The Everlasting Mercy," created something -of a literary sensation, and was succeeded by "The Widow in the Bye Street,’ "Dauber," and "The Daffodia-? | Fields," all of them word pictures, of the first order. His "Gallipoli" is recognised as a war classic. Philip Gibbs is said to have destroyed his own notes for a work covering part of the campaign on the Western front when he read Masefield’s "The Old Front Line," feeling that he was far outstripped. It is the realism, strong feeling, and richness of emotion displayed in his works that inspires his large and faithful following, who will rejoice at the well-deserved honour bestowed upon him.-"Bookworm."

we ‘\) A FRIEND of mine, an exceptionelly bad train traveller, was once cheered to find, on awakening after several hours on the Limited, that he felt much better than he anticipated. At the moment the train happéned to be stationary: Joyfully, he remarked to his travelling companion: "By Jove, I’m feeling fine, much better than I thought. I must be getting used ; 40 it." "No wonder," was the dry %reply, "we have been held up for the last two hours by a slip!’-May.

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