* _Poems. By Clinton Scollard._ (Houghton-Mifflin: $1.25 net.) A
selection of Mr. Scollard’s best poems from his numerous volumes. It
should serve to define his place in American poetry, which is beside Mr.
Cawein. Delicate fancy and a love of nature which is not vague are
united to an opulence of expression which has not always done Mr.
Scollard service, but which in almost every poem in this volume results
in giving the pleasure of fine poetic sensation to the discriminating
reader.
_Songs and Sonnets for England in War Time._ (Lane: $.75 net.) A
collection of the best poems by English poets inspired by the war,
issued for the benefit of the Prince of Wales Fund. The total profits of
the volume are turned over to this fund for relief work, and the
purchaser will not only procure a volume whose significance will be more
and more realised as time passes, but will be contributing in small
measure to this charitable work.
* _Challenge. By Louis Untermeyer._ (Century Co.: $1.00 net) One of the
most significant new volumes of the year. With much of Shelley’s social
enthusiasm and a genuine inspiration, he sings the strength and weakness
of our democracy with the eagerness of youth. This is a volume whose
significance will grow as the years go by, and it should be associated
with Mr. Oppenheim’s new volume on which comment will be found
elsewhere. Although democracy is the substance of his song, yet the
feeling for beauty’s essence which here finds lyrical expression is the
most substantially satisfying quality of his work.
III. SUPPLEMENTARY LIST OF SIGNIFICANT BOOKS OF POETRY FOR A LARGE
LIBRARY
* _Earth Triumphant, and Other Tales in Verse. By Conrad Aiken._
(Macmillan: $1.25 net.) Three narrative poems of distinction, followed
by shorter poems interpreting the philosophy of youth. They suggest
comparison with the longer poems of John Masefield, but have a firm
independent technique of their own. With genuine beauty they relate
tales which reveal the heart of modern life in various phases of youth,
and contain a reading of earth which differs in essentials from that of
Meredith. The volume deserves a wider audience than the usual public
which cares for poetry. It has a message which every American will
appreciate, and if it helps to spread an interest in poetry among new
circles of readers, it will only be fulfilling its mission. It is a
distinguished first book of verse.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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