[Illustration: a tree with a bird in it (front cover)]

A TREE WITH A BIRD IN IT:

A SYMPOSIUM OF CONTEMPORARY AMERICAN POETS ON BEING SHOWN A PEAR-TREE ON WHICH SAT A GRACKLE

BY MARGARET WIDDEMER

AUTHOR OF "FACTORIES," "THE OLD ROAD TO PARADISE," "CROSS CURRENTS," ETC.

WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY WILLIAM SAPHIER

[Illustration]

NEW YORK HARCOURT, BRACE AND COMPANY

COPYRIGHT, 1922, BY HARCOURT, BRACE AND COMPANY, INC.

PRINTED IN THE U. S. A. BY THE QUINN & BODEN COMPANY RAHWAY, N. J.

THIS IS DEDICATED WITH MY FORGIVENESS IN ADVANCE TO THE POETS PARODIED IN THIS BOOK AND THE POETS NOT PARODIED IN THIS BOOK

FOREWORD

By the Collator

A little while since, I had the fortune to live in a house, outside of whose windows there grew a pear-tree. On the branches of this tree lived a green bird of indeterminate nature. I do not know what his real name was, but the name, to quote our great exemplar Lewis Carroll, by which his name was _called_ was the Grackle. He seemed perfectly willing to be addressed thus, and accordingly was.

Aside from watching the Pear-Tree and the Grackle, my other principal occupation that winter was watching the Poetry Society of America now and then at its monthly meetings. It occurred to me finally to invite such members of it as cared to come, following many good examples, to an outdoor symposium under the tree. The result follows.

Margaret Widdemer.

P.S.--The tree died.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PAGE Foreword: By the Collator v Jessie B. Rittenhouse _Resignation_ 3 Edwin Markham _The Bird with the Woe_ 4 Witter Bynner _The Unity of Oneness_ 7 Amy Lowell _Oiseaurie_ 8 Edgar Lee Masters _Imri Swazey_ 9 Edwin Arlington Robinson _Rambuncto_ 10 Robert Frost _The Bird Misunderstood_ 12 Carl Sandburg _Chicago Memories_ 13 Edith M. Thomas _Frost and Sandburg Tonight_ 17 Charles Hanson Towne

Table of contents (by pages)

• 1: A Tree with a Bird in it: by Margaret Widdemer
• 2: A Tree with a Bird in it: by Margaret Widdemer
• 3: But this wise grackle does a kinder thing
• 4: 'Gene Field said everything in Chicago of the eighties
• 5: The Poets I never would meet till tonight
• 6: And seek Spring Chickens in the Spring
• 7: Conrad Aiken Creeping mysteriously out of the twilight
• 8: I've gathered you stones for the bird
• 9: Who have brought in Bergamot
• 10: And nine public schools and twelve other symposiums
• 11: THE FOWL OF A THOUSAND FLIGHTS Grackle
• 12: Grace Hazard and Hilda Conkling THEY SEE THE BIRDIE Mrs
• 13: Chris and I were plump and gay
• 14: Christopher Morley Acting
• 15: I waita da hour I mowa da grass
• 16: Tra lee Everybody writes poetry
• 17: Chorus of elderly ladies who appreciate poetry
• 18: Chorus of critics and culture hounds