04.22.07 -- Poets on Poetry

This Sunday construction by Victor Fleming is titled FOR APRIL -- NATIONAL POETRY MONTH and features six quotes for eight answers from Osbert Sitwell, Joseph Roux, Carl Sandburg, Edith Sitwell, Pablo Neruda and e. e. cummings in reference to poetry.

25A With 36-Across, “Poetry is…” (Osbert Sitwell) LIKEFISHIFITS

36A See 25-Across FRESHITSGOOD

59A “Poetry is…” (Joseph Roux) TRUTHINITSSUNDAYCLOTHES

81A With 89-Across, “Poetry is…” (Carl Sandburg) ANECHOASKINGA

89A See 81-Across SHADOWTODANCE

111A “Poetry is…” (Edith Sitwell) THE DEIFICATIONOFREALITY

128A “Poetry is…” (Pablo Neruda) ANACTOFPEACE

148A “Poetry is…” (E.E. Cummings) BEINGNOTDOING

Quotations in puzzles are always sticky as they often get or give no clue from or to anything else and are many times obscure or rarely used -- however, when one fills in half to ninety percent of the quote, the quote most likely will fall into place (unless one knows the reference by heart for some reason or other, then one is home free), thus eliciting an “oh, that’s interesting.” Truth is it is easier to have six quotations rather than one large quotation throughout the puzzle, but nevertheless, it makes for a bit of a plodding solution.

As it turns out, there are hundreds of quotations in reference to the “nature” of poetry -- Google it, e.g., “Poetry is…” Additionally, there’s the mysterious Joseph Roux, a priest and writer who lived 1834-1886 -- was he even a poet? Who knows, Wikipedia is no help, nor any tactile reference in my library which includes some heavy tomes. Nonetheless, several of his quotations are on record.

There is a lot of originality in this dusty creation -- stuff pulled out of the memory trunk of crosswords past -- without referencing to the Across and Down or their clues, I liked HILO, SWAK, MARIGOLDS, ONEARM, TURKIC, THEUSA, SAYIDO, EPINAL, MRKITE, GARBLE, MALO, KITH, CESURA, OHSO, AGOD, HADA, IFI, TWOA, LIND, ICEBAG, ICANSO, EGAD. Everyone has their favorites, may I suggest you consult the following for theirs in today’s "Sunday special poet’s edition":

Linda G -- Madness...Crossword and Otherwise

Orange -- Diary of a Crossword Fiend

Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle

Osbert Sitwell, an anonymous priest in lieu of Joseph Roux, Carl Sandburg, Edith Sitwell, Pablo Neruda, e. e. cummings

NOTICE: The New York Times Crossword in Gothic will no longer carry a full copy of the puzzle due to receiving notice from a representative of The New York Times which states in part: “…you've included each day's puzzle (clues and all) on your blog, which violates the Times' copyright. Theoretically a reader could print out the puzzle from your blog rather than subscribe to it online… remove the puzzles you have posted now and refrain from posting any others.”