Walt Mason's Rippling Rhymes (1913) presents a collection of prose poems that walk a curious line between verse and journalism. The poems, originally published in magazines such as Harper's Weekly and Collier's Weekly, adopt a consistent metrical structure—typically anapestic or iambic lines with a strong, regular beat—while using the visual layout of prose paragraphs. This formal choice creates a reading experience where the rhythm is felt rather than seen, and the humor often depends on the tension between the casual, conversational tone and the strict underlying meter.

Rhythm as a Structural Device

Mason's poems are built on a steady, almost singsong rhythm that propels the reader forward. In "Inauguration Day, 1913," lines such as "Their battle shout is thrilling as they go marching by" maintain a consistent anapestic beat (da-da-DUM) that mimics the march of a parade. This rhythmic regularity is not merely decorative; it serves as a framework for Mason's satirical observations. The meter often undercuts the grandiosity of the subject—political rallies, patriotic fervor—by making the language sound slightly mechanical or forced. When Mason writes, "No wonder Woodrow Wilson, as this great crowd appears, his silken kerchief spills on some proud and grateful tears," the elevated diction clashes with the rigid rhythm, producing a gently mocking effect. The reader is invited to hear the poem as a kind of musical patter, where the content is secondary to the beat.

Colloquial Voice and Dialect Play

Mason frequently adopts a folksy, vernacular persona, using contractions, dropped consonants, and informal phrasing. In "Prayer of the Heathen," the bridegroom speaks in a plain, unadorned style: "This maid," the bridegroom muttered, "is fresh from Nature's hands; her boudoir is not cluttered with strings and pins and bands." The use of "ain't" and other colloquialisms is rare in the excerpts, but the overall tone is conversational and direct. Mason also employs dialectal rhymes and wordplay, such as "waxin'" and "teetering" in the inauguration poem, which ground the poems in a specific American vernacular. This voice is consistent across topics, whether Mason is describing political processions or domestic squabbles, creating a unified authorial presence that feels like a wisecracking neighbor rather than a lofty poet.

Shifts in Pace and Subject

The collection moves rapidly between subjects, from political satire to domestic humor to philosophical musings. In "Theory and Practice," Mason contrasts public praise for Milton with private preference for lighter reading: "I talk much of Thomas Hardy wh..." (the excerpt cuts off). This poem exemplifies a common pattern: a quick pivot from highbrow pretension to everyday reality. The pace of individual poems also varies; some, like "Inauguration Day, 1913," build a cumulative, list-like momentum with repeated phrases ("the men from desks and foyers, the sheepmen and the sawyers"), while others, like "Prayer of the Heathen," unfold as a dialogue with a slower, more deliberate rhythm. This variety prevents monotony and keeps the reader engaged, as each poem offers a new angle on human behavior.

Readers approaching Rippling Rhymes should listen for the beat beneath the prose. Mason's poems reward reading aloud, where the rhythm becomes most apparent. The collection is best taken in small doses, allowing each poem's humor and observation to land without the cumulative effect of the meter becoming tiresome. Pay attention to how Mason uses the same rhythmic structure for both earnest and ironic subjects—this tension is the key to his craft.