The fatal facility of the octosyllabic verse.

The fatal facility of the octosyllabic verse.

The poet is a liar who always speaks the truth.

The poet is a liar who always speaks the truth.

The poem is the point at which our strength gave out.

The poem is the point at which our strength gave out.

Poetry is nothing but healthy speech.

Poetry is nothing but healthy speech.

Poetry, therefore, we will call Musical Thought.

Poetry, therefore, we will call Musical Thought.

Poetry is a deal of joy and pain and wonder, with a dash of the dictionary.

Poetry is a deal of joy and pain and wonder, with a dash of the dictionary.

A prose writer gets tired of writing prose, and wants to be a poet. So he begins every line with read more

A prose writer gets tired of writing prose, and wants to be a poet. So he begins every line with a capital letter, and keeps on writing prose.

When the brain gets as dry as an empty nut,
When the reason stands on its squarest toes,
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When the brain gets as dry as an empty nut,
When the reason stands on its squarest toes,
When the mind (like a beard) has a "formal cut,"--
There is a place and enough for the pains of prose;
But whenever the May-blood stires and glows,
And the young year draws to the "golden prime,"
And Sir Romeo sticks in his ear a rose,--
Then hey! for the ripple of laughing rhyme!

For rhyme the rudder is of verses,
With which, like ships, they steer their courses.

For rhyme the rudder is of verses,
With which, like ships, they steer their courses.