WALT WHITMAN TO AUSTIN DOBSON
I who have walked splay-footed in hobnailed boots,
I who have written at large in sesquipedalian lines,
I am eager for juxtaposition of mutual antagonisms.
The formule of splay-footedness is the formule of sesquipedalian lines ;
But your formule, camerado, is the formule of varnished pumps and minuets ;
You have minced through life, minion camerado,
You have minced with Q. Horatius Flaccus, Proverbs in
Porcelain, Beaux in Brocade, and Roses in Bonnets.
Juxtapose yourself, I beg ;
Exude me the efflux of your eighteenth-century soul ;
Lilt me a lyric, lisp in numbers, curt and compt ;
Exude to me, minion to monster, pump to hobnail ;
By return mail exude !
AUSTIN DOBSON TO WALT WHITMAN
I send no gem across the sea ;
I, like most rhymesters, more’s the pity,
Omnibus horis cannot be
Witty.
I have no mine of Attic salt,
Nor will I delve, a hireling pitman,
In others’ classic wit-mines, Walt Whitman !
Light numbers, raised by heat of youth,
Ad unguent facti, come no longer :
Age plays at strength, but finds the truth
Stronger.
Nor could I ask you to defray
The tariff charged on things of beauty,
For works of art imported pay
Duty.
Yet if my Muse without impost
May greet her grave and reverend neighbour,
Duty thus paid will not be lost
Labour.
(Frank Sidgwick)
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Based on Topics: Life Poems, Light Poems, Youth Poems, Beauty Poems, Art Poems, Truth Poems, Age Poems, Wit Poems, Labor Poems, Duty Poems, Proverbs PoemsBased on Keywords: curt, austin, minion, varnished, hireling, walt, whitman, bonnets, imported, omnibus, defray