POETRY SPOT - MORE EDGAR A GUEST

After a few lengthy Bytes posts, we now have some short ones to enable a catch up on reading.

“I would rather fail my Wasserman test

Then read the poetry of Edgar A Guest.”

- Dorothy Parker

The Wasserman test was an antibody test for syphilis.

In contrast, my words from Bytes, October 9, 2023:

I have previously commented that I am not a great fan (of Edgar A Guest's poetry) but, that said, I would rather inspiration than cynicism, positive thoughts instead of negative outlooks and kindness in place of a lack of generosity of spirit.

It is in that vein that today’s post consists of another poem by Edgar a Guest, which has inspired me to verse as well . . .

His poems my not be thought of as best,

But worse than a failed Wasserman test?

For all of their faults,

Their emotion and schmaltz,

There’s a place for the poems of Guest.

The Few

The easy roads are crowded

And the level roads are jammed;

The pleasant little rivers

With the drifting folks are crammed.

But off yonder where it's rocky,

Where you get a better view,

You will find the ranks are thinning

And the travelers are few.

Where the going's smooth and pleasant

You will always find the throng,

For the many, more's the pity,

Seem to like to drift along.

But the steeps that call for courage,

And the task that's hard to do

In the end result in glory

For the never-wavering few.

- Edgar A Guest (1917)

From:

All Poetry

https://allpoetry.com/The-Few

This poem explores the concept of individuality and the rarity of those who dare to venture beyond the ordinary. While the easy and pleasant paths are crowded with the masses, the difficult and challenging ones are traversed by only a select few. The speaker suggests that true worthiness lies in the arduous journey, where courage and determination lead to glory, rather than in the comfortable paths taken by the majority. The poem reflects the ideals of individualism and self-reliance prevalent during its time period and echoes the theme of choosing the "road less traveled" from Robert Frost's famous poem.