The form of modern poetry is also largely new. Rhymed monologues, long narratives, and especially dramatic poems are frequent. Read to illustrate this, "The New Poetry," by James Oppenheim, in Volume 22 of Poet Lore.
Following this, take up in several meetings the topic of dramatic poetry.
II—DRAMATIC POETRY
An early meeting should study the comparison of poetry and prose in plays, and the question, Is poetry acceptable on the stage? What are its limitations? There should also be a paper on the versified plays of to-day as contrasted with those of two centuries ago. Following these may be a study of several dramatic poets of to-day.
Percy Mackaye has some strong work: "Fenris the Wolf," "Jeanne d'Arc," "The Canterbury Pilgrims," and "The Scarecrow" are all worth reading. Present selections from each. Stephen Phillips, an Englishman, has some splendid, vital dramas. His best is "Paolo and Francesca," but both "Herod" and "Ulysses" are to be studied. Read from all three. His experience as an actor has made his plays especially suited to the stage.
Richard Hovey has chosen the Arthurian cycle as his inspiration, and presents the mediæval spirit with unusual faithfulness; he keeps nearer to Mallory than Tennyson did. Read "The Quest of Merlin," and "The Marriage of Guenever."
Among women poets Sara King Wiley has two dramatic poems of note, "Alcestis," and "The Coming of Philibert." Josephine Preston Peabody (Mrs. Marks) took the Shakespearean prize for "The Piper," which was performed at Stratford. Lately she has written another drama, "The Singing Man," full of beauty. Read from this, and also from her short poems.
III—POEMS WITH CLASSICAL AND ROMANTIC THEMES
Among the poets of the last generation Keats, Shelley, Browning and Swinburne chose classical themes, and Byron and Tennyson took romantic. Have a paper pointing out this fact. Read from their poems and compare them with those of the poets of the younger set who took the same themes.
Laurence Binyon, an Englishman like Phillips, has written "Persephone" and "Porphyrin" with the classic theme, and "Tintagel" with the romantic. Rhys Carpenter, one of the youngest American writers, has "The Tragedy of Etarre," founded on the Arthurian legend. Helen Coale Crewe has written "Ægean Echoes," and Martha J. Kidder "Æonian Echoes," both full of beauty and promise. Read from these.