And in a manifesto extremely clear and terse
Announced his firm intention of giving up free verse.
The range of his reaction may readily be guessed
When I mention that for Browning his devotion he confessed,
Enthroned above the Sitwells the artless Muse of "Bab,"
And said that Marinetti was not as good as Crabbe.
At first the manifesto was treated as a joke,
A boyish ebullition that soon would end in smoke;
But when he took to writing in strict and fluent rhyme
His family decided to extirpate the crime.