AROUND IT AND ABOUT
A Key to Modern English Poetry. By Martin Gilkes. (Black. 5s.)
MR. GILKES' little book is one of about a dozen published during the last two years with the object of explaining modern poetry to an audience presumed to find modern poetry difficult. Since books of the kind continue to appear, one must assume that they find a public. But it is difficult to believe that on a long view they are valuable. Exegesis or analysis of a par- ticular poet's work is another matter, and certainly may be valuable to a reader who has already some appreciation of the work discussed. But it does not seem unlikely that the effect of all these little books which disdain analysis and merely chat in an amiable way about movements and influences and tenden- cies is to substitute the reading of books about poetry for the possible reading of poetry itself.
Mr. Gilkes seems aware himself that the achievement of his book must be modest. He disclaims the intention of writing criticism, and in an elaborate but obvious paragraph of his Prologue remarks that : " A key has a simpler purpose. It unlocks a room—in this case the room of Modern Poetry—and provides a general view of what is inside from a strategic position at the door." Since Mr. Gilkes is so explicit, one is compelled to express the doubt whether a position at the door is really more strategic than a position outside the window ; from either one will certainly get a general idea of the disposi- tion of the room, from both the details which distinguish the room from other rooms of the same kind will as often as not be hidden. The point, which is essentially unimportant, is only worth mentioning because it is fairly typical of the sort of state- ment that occurs throughout this book. Mr. Gilkes is fond of generalisations, of vague analogies, and of homely little digressions beginning with the phrase : " It reminds you." He very rarely lets himself consider a poet by himself, choosing instead to represent him as part of a " movement " or as the illustration of a " tendency " ; and when he discusses a single poem he prefers impressionism in general terms to precise analysis. In form his book follows the inevitable sequence— Hopkins, the Imagists, War Poetry, Eliot, Pound, the Sitwells, Auden, Spender, Day Lewis, with Mr. Yeats tacked on at the end since he does not fit into the chronological scheme. The chapters vary as little in merit as they do in method. None of them will be of any interest to anyone reasonably familiar with their subjects, but all will probably succeed in giving the kind of enlightenment at which Mr. Gilkes aims to someone who is not. Readers will not be seriously troubled with conflicting views on any subject, for if Mr. Gilkes quotes another critic it is merely with a gentle gesture of approval or dissent—he never involves himself in an argument. What the book lacks most of all is any evidence of personal taste or opinion. Mr. Gilkes has enthusiasm and up to a point he is well informed ; but his enthusiasm does not contain discrimina- tion and he does not use his knowledge as the basis for a coherent general view. His book would have gained greatly in value if he had discarded his cherished position by the door and ventured inside the room.
It would be unfair to give the impression that Mr. Gilkes has written a mischievous or misleading book. He has an apprecia- tion of poetry himself, and a genuine concern that others should share his pleasure. He has had the industry to attempt to produce a book whereby they might be enabled to do so. But he seems to have misjudged the value to others of the applica- tion of his kind of enthusiasm. His book is not mischievous,
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