More than seven decades have passed since Ben Burroughs' poetry first appeared in a Philadelphia newspaper. The impact of his talent-completely lacking as it is pretentiousness- has been so great that today his daily "SKETCHES" appears in sixty-eight newspapers and is followed my millions of readers throughout the world. How can one account for such a phenomenon? The explanation lies in the very nature of Burroughs' verse, for he is truly a poet of the people, a disciple of sincerity, one who can capture the magical moments that imbue us all with a deepened insight into life's mysteries. Through his warm. Perceptive understanding, the beauty and grandeur of daily living are reveled. This is not a poet who hides his meanings and demands we seek them out. Rather in words that are so eloquent in their simplicity and graceful in their flow, he presents to us "emotional recollected in tranquility." Wordsworth tells us this is the true definition of poetry. What of a poet himself? What manner of a man is he? Humility is perhaps the dominant virtue characterizing Burroughs' creative efforts. Modest in the light of his success, he is appreciated that he has been blessed with the talent that enables him to erase some of the drabness that is common in daily living. No ivory tower recluse, he follows the tradition of art that draws its sustenance from the life as it is lived by the many.