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Salient. An Organ of Student Opinion at Victoria College, Wellington, N.Z. Vol. 15, No. 5. April 3, 1952

Tournament Issue — Poetry Reading — "Post" Critic Drowns

Tournament Issue

Poetry Reading

"Post" Critic Drowns

With both Baxter and Dronke on the same programme at the Library Lecture Hall it was almost inevitable that the "Evening Post" reporter would be completely baffled by the display of poetical talent. To call the "Post's" stupid and childish would be to insult a large proportion of this country's population with the comparison, but it is certain that it must be one of the most pretentious pieces of journalism to have appeared in a Welling newspaper for many years.

Our poets are informed that "they would hold their own better if they went in for a few more local and topical touches." The obvious example of poetry based on this formula is the well-known lyric, "A Moa on Lambton Quay," by one of New Zealand's finer poets by "Evening Post" standards, O. Parker Davies. We must admit that James K. Baxter, who "was more concerned with the classical muse than with the way his audience live their lives" would indeed progress with some tutorage from Mr. Davies and the "Evening Post."

Leaving the "Post" to its stage I set books, we may now attempt to make coherent the remaining shreds of what the reviewer has left of Friday night's reading. The readings from Spencer, Marvell, Shakespeare, and Wordsworth were well chosen, but although John Parker's confident, capable delivery did justice to the poems and the audience, Anton Vogt did not seem entirely at ease with the Wordsworth readings. But when in the second half of the programme he read six stanzas from his own "Don Juan in New Zealand" he sounded much [unclear: happier] in the lighter vein. Baxter's readings from Denis Glover's "Sings Harry" sequence were very effective—as perhaps the, "Evening Post" sensed. However, the dialectical subtleties of Donne's "Lover's Infinitenesse" completely confounded Alistair Campbell as far as reading the poem went, and completely confounded the audience as far as listening to it went. Any aural poetic qualities that Pat Wilson's "The Tree" possessed was completely destroyed by an unfortunately incapable reading and it must be admitted that although he is a fine poet Alistair Campbell definitely is not a good poetry reader in contrast Zenocrate Mountjoy's warm readings of a good selection from MacNeice's "Collected Poetry" were well received.

The second half of the programme opened with a zombie-like reading by Barry Mitcalfe of some of his own verse and a poem by Gwen Hawthorn. Lyster Paul, having read some published poetry, Louis Johnson commenced with a new poem "The Golden Apples." Unfortunately Mr. Johnson's was rather inadequate and he could not convey the most to his audience.

Peter Dronke's reading of his own translation from Rilke was very well received. Although we are not qualified to judge the quality of the translation, he read well in the way peculiar to him which though dominating might seem hammy in some places. To have to follow Dronke was a great disadvantage but Baxter stood up to it quite well, reading some recently written poems.

A cash collection paid the rent and a good time was had by all.

H.