Word: poemes
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Dates: during 1950-1959
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...more Russians than in any other part of Red China. Kao, who visited Moscow in 1949, has long been a slavish imitator of Russian methods. Last week he received a group of Soviet artists, loudly applauded (with the proper gradations of respect) both a Stalin Cantata and a tone poem, The Song of Mao Tse-tung. Mao has said: "Comrade Kao Kang is a consistently correct leader." With this buildup, Kao, 50, is already a member of the Chinese Communist Party's 1) Central Committee, 2) Military Council, 3) People's Government. Last week he moved into Peking...
...ambiguities and enigmas of life. His subject matter, therefore, often lies in the realm of forces which affront human dignity and which threaten human freedom. One never doubts his sincerity and authority. Yet his feelings tend to overshadow some of his work, the flame obscures the value of the poem as a whole. Selections from Frescoes for Mr. Rockefeller's City (1932) and Public Speech (1936) have this blemish, although they contain, vivid imagry. MacLeish's thought is poignant and direct; but one becomes exhausted with sheer oratory...
When the poet turns to an historical event in which to inject emotions of his own life and age, he is more successful. Conquistador, a long poem about the conquest of Mexico, reveals, a thorough understanding of war's effect on individuals. Composed in three-line classic meter, the poem is free of obtrusive personal comment and conveys brilliantly the horror of death, the elation of victory, and the awe of discovering new land...
Aside from MacLeish's historical interest, the countryside lures his attention. Equating fall planting, rivers blood-red from, leaves, and spring thaw with human birth in The Pot of Earth (1925), he creates a simple, enthralling experience. Eleven is a magnificent poem about an unassuming incident--a boy going to rest in a barn before lunch--which takes on many subtle meanings. The expression is low-power and the structure is well suited to the tone. As a matter of fact, MacLeish rarely forces words to rhyme just for the sake of rhyme. Even while he experiments with different forms...
MacLeish's greatest achievement, I believe, is his latest published long poem, The Trojan Horse. In it, he has overcome his inability to write on current political threats without beclouding his work with fiery fist-shaking. Following the ancient tragedy, he depicts the horse as a menace, which only a mad girl and Helen realize. The people, confused by the symbol for which it represents, denounce the two women and admit the horse to Troy. MacLeish is one of few poets who has expressed a modern dilemma with such vitality, deftness, and fearlessness. If the task of poetry...