A Visit from Mr James Baxter
In the second term, the Upper Sixth English class were honoured to have the opportunity of listening to a talk by Mr James Baxter, one of New Zealand’s leading poets. Mr Baxter spoke on Modern Poetry, taking as examples various works by T.S. Eliot, W.H. Auden and George Barker. The members of the English class gathered in the Library, where Father McKay introduced Mr Baxter to them.
After examining and pointing out the attitudes and techniques of the three poets, Mr Baxter spoke on the move towards greater lucidity in poetry. Mr Baxter gave a very interesting and penetrating view of Modern Poetry. His comments on various forms of versification and metre will no doubt help budding poets of the Upper Sixth. Mr Baxter added to our enjoymentpage 389 with his excellent readings from ‘Ash Wednesday’, ‘America’, ‘Swan Song of a Hyena’, and an impressive poem by Thomas Blackburn.
A short question time followed Mr Baxter’s talk and all who had listened to him were sorry when the bell at the end of the period summoned them to another class. Thank you, James K. Baxter, for your enlightening and informative talk on Modern Poetry.
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