The Poetry Corner

Critic And Poet.

By Emma Lazarus

An Apologue. ("Poetry must be simple, sensuous, or impassioned; this man is neither simple, sensuous, nor impassioned; therefore he is not a poet.") No man had ever heard a nightingale, When once a keen-eyed naturalist was stirred To study and define - what is a bird, To classify by rote and book, nor fail To mark its structure and to note the scale Whereon its song might possibly be heard. Thus far, no farther; - so he spake the word. When of a sudden, - hark, the nightingale! Oh deeper, higher than he could divine That all-unearthly, untaught strain!He saw The plain, brown warbler, unabashed."Not mine" (He cried) "the error of this fatal flaw. No bird is this, it soars beyond my line, Were it a bird, 't would answer to my law."