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 them when the high water mark is not yet attained) at once subside; and only the poetry that is the real ‘I’ remains. Indeed, to gain the true poetry is the question of one’s nerve; and I say also that you cannot have the true poetry with that nerve itself; I mean that you can have the poetry when your nerve becomes non-nerve. And you must let the poetry write itself; I mean that you must get your own true self, That is my secret if I have any.

Poetry is so interesting at least in my case, because it makes me find my own self; it is so important, because it teaches me the real proportion between me and Nature. It is so educative and edifying, because it makes me philosophical; to be philosophical is the very way to build one’s character, because it makes one gain silence, for silence is the real foundation of character. Rh