Editor's Note

'Experiment' was first conceived as a vehicle for publishing original work by student writers who had not previously appeared in print. Because the main object of the production is encouragement, variety in type and style rather than a very narrow selection of top quality pieces, has been editorial policy. It is unfortunately true that there is a lack of quality material available - either it is not being written, or authors are unnecessarily reticent about their prose and verse.

The main criticism one can make about the literary contributions is that in general they show a forced or spurious feeling and appear pretentious. Highly emotive phrases take the place of real emotion or thought. There is a lack of discipline and flaws in technique often highlighted by an overabundance of epithets and the use of words, qua words without any clean areas of reference.

Poetry is essentially personal, but like all forms of art it is meant, despite Mr. Cloud's protestations, to communicate, and the best poetry should have some element of universality as well as individualism. Most of the poems received were attempts at intellectual sallies rather than human communications. Peter Curnow and Rosemary Randall were the two whose works, we felt, approached more the poetic ideal than any others.

Diane Bright.