Page "belles_lettres" Paragraph 1373

This involves a shift in Patchen's attitude and it is a first step toward writing a new jazz poetry.

He has shown considerable ingenuity in adapting his earliest symbols and devices to the new work, and the fact that he has kept a body of constant symbols through all of his experiments gives an unexpected continuity to his poetry.

Perhaps tracing some of these more important symbols through the body of his work will show that Patchen's new poetry is well thought out, and remains within the mainstream of his work, while being suited to a new form.