Books: Poetaster

NO TRAVELLER RETURNS—Joseph Auslander—Harper ($2.50).

Last week Joseph Auslander's chief claim to newspaper fame was his wife. Audrey Wurdemann, who had just won the 1934 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry. The Pulitzer Prize has never come his way, but Poet Auslander has been poeticizing for years, is much better known than his newcomer wife. To some readers of his verse, it may even seem that he has been writing poetry since before he was born. His facile images and garrulous lines show versifying talent often, poetic mastery never.

Poet Auslander's chief admiration is John Masefield, whom he calls "The Master Poet. . . ....