POET'S CHALLENGE TO POET

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7022, 10 January 1910, Page 7

POET'S CHALLENGE TO POET

FBOM ODB SPECIAI COEEESPONDEKT. LONDON, November 26.. A' challenge sent.this week from poe! Richard Lo Gailienno to poet "William Watson: "Glad meot Watson any terms he names. Suggest boxing gloves . . . and bout hold before select gathering of men and women," and iho oroply: "... 'Going to faoo it. Sailing November 27th. —Wra. AVatson " , seems to indicate that the age of gallantly is not yet pact, or rather is intehded bj Le Gallienne to convey that high Meaning. The subject of tha quarrel of those life-long friends and brother poets is a.i unknown woman, whose fair cam* Mr Galliehne Considers has been Attacked by Watson's suggestions in "The Woman with tho Serpent's Tongue," one ol tho poems in the recently published voltune.

Concerning whom Fame hints at tninjfc Told but in shrugs and whisperings. > Who makes love to you to-day; To-morrow gives her guest away.

The criticism, rumour has It, indicate* a certain unmarried woman of high position in England, and Lo Gallienne, assuming this, poured out his wrath in a fierce attack on Watson, in verse, entitled "Tho Poet with the Coward's Tonguc".:—

Was it a woman, bore this thinfc .. v--5 Made out of Words, to sneer and sing! A thing of Words to scan and scan, i 'Yet dares to sign himself a man!. ,;1 He's growing old, he is not voUng— i The Port With the Coward's Tongue. ..<] Was it a woman long ago ■'• : ■•"■■; Went through tho fires of her yotinj; womb, . :.■.. To bear this man who sings this song--Tho Poet with the Coward's Tongue? ; In truthful numbers be'ho sung— :■'.; Tiie Poet with the Coward's Tongue--- '' *Made_ out of words to sneer and &ing; A thing of wjrds, a paper thing, .-■ '] A little book of classic song— The Poet with Ihe Coward's Tongne. ~■'■;'. Think 'hot the woman he betrayed— : '< 54mc all unknown—is thus portrayed'' Poor poet, starved for her strange! eyes': Despair tolls all of us strange JieSj ■'■'; But there's an answer to his song—-' O, Woman with tho Serpent's Tongue o,' Poet with the Coward's Tongue, ? ■ Como to New York, and you; shal' know— O, Singer of the Coward's Song— ■■■■'-..■< His fate wJio sings a woman so! Come to Kew fork and face the mei Who sing not. yet whose life in song Because thev-love their women ani would die— Rather than Ml a William Watson lii About a woman —even in a song— . 0, Poet with the Coward's Tongue! -, Envoi. ' ;.■ '. ; '. ; Was he a "guest" who dares to wronj KIS hostcw in r foul a son?? 0, Poet with tho Coward's Tongue. ' Jit- LeGallienne' now lives in' 1 ". N#v York, and it is there, tths poets wit meet face to face. Mrs Watson, a Hire. months'-bride,'.will accompany her bus band to America. ' ■.'■: