Excerpt from The Youth of Beauty: And Other Poems

One of the most hopeful signs for the future is the appearance of a band of young poets in the land, anxious to turn away the reproach that the poetry which has been so long a proud national heritage is ours no longer, and among these young poets who, to a considerable native gift, have added a high seriousness and devotion to their art, Mr. Roberts occupies an honoured position, for he has justified the hopes aroused by his earliest work, and has now stepped beyond the dangers and fears that assail the path of the youthful poet. He has been wise and courageous in that he has avoided sensation and violence in an age when the unusual is acclaimed by a body of men who find no virtue in precedent, and worship the extravagant and bizarre. He has been content to tread the old paths, learning his art, and acquiring a technique which has qualified him for longer and more adventurous flights. 'A master of metre, ' as 'The Times' said, he has written narrative, lyrical and dramatic verse with success, and though it is early to predict in which field the poet will finally work, this versatility augurs well for the future. There is in Mr. Roberts' poetry a gentle spirit, somewhat brooding, and occasionally pessimistic, but he escapes the traditional fault of young poets by the light that emanates from his philosophy, and reveals a glory shining through the gloom of despair.

To quote one lyric, we feel that -

'Art, with its deeper sight, has seen
Something to which the world is blind.'

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