Books: Novel in Verse

RIP TIDE—William Rose Benét—Dujfield & Green ($2.50).

The modesty with which Author Benét calls his long poem “a novel in verse” should do much to mollify harsh critics. The brevity and simplicity of his narrative should please unexacting readers. The theme: Sheila as a girl had been in love with Gordon, but he had gone away, she had married Dermot. Though she wanted children, none came. Then Gordon appeared again. As a result of their brief passion Sheila bore a son, Barry. Gordon at first knew nothing of his existence; everyone but Sheila thought he was Dermot’s son. Years later, his mother and father dead, Barry met Gordon’s daughter Meredith. Not knowing they were half-brother and sister they fell in love. Poet Robinson Jeffers would have carried them on to incest. Author Benét stops things just in time, lets Barry drown.

Even an unexacting reader will notice unusually prosy bits in Rip Tide, such as . . . Barry, hailed to the court, Tried some tennis. A couple drove off in a car. . . .

The cocktail table proved a welcome resort.

The reader may also wonder why Poet Benét likes such stumbling-block words as: corsive, accipitrine. mort. On the whole he will probably find Rip Tide moving, though more pathetic than sad.