The quickest way to maim an artist is everlastingly to remind him of something he did yesterday invariably of obvious appeal and ephemeral duration: I faithfully believe that if God got a little respite from the deafening hosannahs of unanimous idolaters, it would afford the Old Man a chance to refresh Himself for the invention of something desperately new, if not better, desperately needed to-day: To be eternally hailed: "Old Chap, shake a hand with me, You've never done and You'll never do another piece of sculpture like that little group, the Adam and Eva -- the most delicious thing ever shown on the Avenue -- folk raving about it everywhere, the dealers all vying in the exhibition of replicas every Sunday, Sunday mornings, Sunday noons, Sunday afternoons, Sunday evenings, Sunday nights -- the critics frantically debating the merits and demerits as represented by the wholesale reproductions -- disagreeing about details, to be sure -- one or two with the particular audacity to brand this or that example, a fake -- but all agreeing absolutely that the original -- when You first set thumbs to the clay -- well, You're a wonder, Old Top, a marvel, a miracle, nobody like You, shake!" Not even the devil, that one-time dissenter, seems to have the energy to prick the Old Man into action, provoke Him with inspiration -- so for God's sake and ours! -- I exhort you! -- give the Poor Fellow a chance! -- allow Him His day of rest! -- even the space of a breath will do, I faithfully still believe! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...SPRING STORM by WILLIAM CARLOS WILLIAMS THE CONFLICT by CECIL DAY LEWIS EPIGRAM: 45. ON MY FIRST SON by BEN JONSON THE CHILD ALONE: 1. THE UNSEEN PLAYMATE by ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON THE OLD SERGEANT by BYRON FORCEYTHE WILLSON |