This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1918 Excerpt: ...writer's problems and work;--not bare directions to the student to do this or that text book kind of exercise, --but actual inspiration to the student to conceive many kinds of stories, and definite suggestions regarding their development and writing;--not percentage marking of manuscripts by clerks, --but kindly, honest help by skilled critics.--In short, real instruction in real writing, for real pleasure and real financial profit. The Editor Council has a folder descriptive oj this important work, that will be sent to inquirers. The Editor Council, Ridgewood, N. J. Such Stuff As Poems Are Made Of How a Poet Should Study Life and Choose His Themes The Second Article in a Series i By Marguerite Wilkinson "Of what materials shall I make my poems?" This is the bewildered inquiry of many a young poet who is just beginning to be aware of the immense vista of life, of the innumerable varieties of human experience, and, consequently of the plenitude of poetic material. Any one with imagination enough for the labor of making poems will find that his difficulty in choosing themes--if there be any difficulty--is due to the fact that he perceives a multitude of things that are beautiful, interesting, ugly, stimulating, mysterious, and tantalizing. The world, to such a person, is full of eyes that challenge, hands that beckon, voices that call. How, then, should his choice be made? The answer to this question is simple, and paradoxical. First we -nay say that it does not matter at all what a poet writes about, and then we must add that it matters more than anything else. It does not matter at all because a great poem can be written on any theme that rouses the enthusiasm of a great poet; any materials may be used if the poet knows how to use them. And th...