New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-10-22
BOSTON.
LITERARY NOTES.

81
. ac,,,.. .ox r,,r srS-IANDs" JOAQUIN MnIERs
,Jw1u votu.uS OF PoEMs-" ISLES or THE ANA
,oUsp SACRED PoEMs-FoR THOSE WHO HAVE
n.vr-rn.-" OLD AND NEW" FOR NOVEMBEB-A
tIEAHC1u NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. soCtAIIsTs-ART
eTrss-" THE pANBURY NEWS" MANS All
SikHkC.
trpo. A REGULAR CORRESPONDENT oF TF TRBUET.l
BosrON, Oct. H." Songs of the Sun
Hands" by Joaquin Miller, which Roberts Brothers are
shout 10 publish, might almost as suitably have been
called Part Second of Songs of the S.ers" The poet
has struck the kcy He has used similar materials
and used them in similar His verse treats sun
Of strange bright away lands OF brown maidens an
men ia arnor, gorgeous with gold. and daHzhhs W."
silver The charm Of novelty IS, Of COURSE IN some Wv
gree icssened The Songs Of the sierras was Wv
open sesame into land, full OF oil manner "
derfnl charm and beauty. We 60 back ID t"'s ~
book to that wId, fair land OF pleasure o'u IL y nv
es,no Rou,e t,, the s,.cond time You are not less
Delighted or less faseinated--yOn bold the last
fast-but the FIRST thrill is over NO 'n'" o""
twice the sensation Joaquin Mict gave "H '"'0' ~
too Ia, thar we nnd in This book with the same lavish
beauty some passages Of more mature P""el' o'uo'Pu
Thought There n, perhaps no poem IN th'e Voiu'ne
1,,,h g,ves ne 80 complete satisfaction AZ did Ar
,o,in IN ts predecessor; yet this may tie only because
~. ra,d Arizonian" FIRST No less Az authority IMAM
~. BesinfRSteI Rcriep pronouncos Tue Isles VI ue
Amazons" In the present collection poem mo winch
AR
I'm, The idea Of this poem sufficiently quaint Far
m the hush of the Amazon River tbpre islands as
grand AZ the isles SOFAS and here by the syea-
more sit blue-eyed men, meudiDg their nets 1on H"f-
vel these peaceful. bmoryed men, who say no words
while they woaveaud wonder;
But "A pure true people Won may trust are these,
That weave their threads where the qWck leaNeh
QuiyeT,
Aud tnis is their tale OF the Isles Of the river
Aud the why that their eyes are 80 blue IKE sede'
Ard the why that the men draw water anu pear
The wine water la the wild boar skIu;
And do live IN the woods and do weave aud spin,
Aud go bear with fall burtnen aud share =
old tale OF a curious Old time
That ~ told Won betimoS Oy quaint old 00he
Wso sits the um 90 an island alone,
Az ever told you m story or rh'ne.
TY,ts tale IA Of q brave young knight, who had come 70
the new world from Span, blown from the banks oil
The Guadaquver and yet bluceyed and with the soft
hair of the Celt. drop Of the dark Moorish
blood lie was q minstrel rs wei as warrior; and, AT
last when he had fought beside ms comrades I'LL he was
tired OF staying he would hght more. lie had heard
Of the sunny lands where only dwelt ia an Eden
apart from men. And caily to himself he sang
n shall geek that Eden, and all my years
shall sit ana repose, shall sing an thc sun;
And the tides may resi- or ne iides NAV run
Aud men water the world win tears
And the years MAY COME and The years may 70,
Aud men make wal, may slaN ana he siam,
But not care, ion ! never shah know
OF msn, or Of aught that Is mans again
"T1,c waves may battle. the winds may blow,
The mellow rich moons may ripeu anu ialI,
Tho seasons OF gold they may gather go,
The may chatter the paroquet call"
Bnt ala, for dreaming. and alas for hIs singing
she boasts bsset him. the scrpents hung over him. and
Glove thrust till his steel was broken and his
Eteod lay lie had reached the shore OF the Anna
son, and there he thought he was TO de by the sol
emu deep river king Of the rivers and mother OF seas
Hut he said himself Let sing one song first, by
sie grand old riyor!" And
he blew on his reed nv the still, strong river,
Blew low az first, like a dream, then long.
Then loud, then loud as the KEYS thai Quiver
And fret, ana toss with their ireISht OF song
He Gang aud ne sang with a resoute will
I'll the mono rested above on ms haunIbes'
Aud hello ms head to the side and was sill
1Ili "a bird blew out OF the night OF branches,
Ain on u reed aud with delicate skill
Sang sadder than love, 81 sweeter than sad
TIL the bOughs did burthen and the reeds did Ill
With beautiful birds, and the boy was glad
And the tiger shethed his claws, aud ,the great SER
enta cooled closer the boughs and listened, and
Ali were still tin his hands grew weary and his heart
waved faint. the tiger arose, and the serpent
reared it's head, and the minstrel gave up hope But
and serpent lad heard his song; and
abere
"a sweeping. svift crescent Of sudden canoesT'
The beautiful AmazOns had heard him, aud they swept
dow . the river all girded in
With a face ar brown as the boatneD's are
Or the brave, brown hand OF "A harvester;
AND girdlod IN gold, and crowned In hair
In "A storm Of night, all studded with rare,
Rich stones that fretted the full o.
fhe Queen on prov stood splendid and tall
And beat aud bubble wateTy rune;
stood forth for the song, half leand in surprise,
stood far to behold and yet grand to oeaGd'
And lad and snbdued. IN her eloquent eyes
And sad we're they all yet tall and serene
OF presence but silent. and hrowd severe
Ae for some things lost, or for some Iair' green
Aud beautiful place, 10 the memory dear.
30 Mother Of God Thrice Iocrciful saint
am saved " ne SAID and he wept outright;
Ay, WCpt y woman might
For the soul was full aud tDe heirt was Ialnt.
~siayi stay :" cried the Queen, and she leapt 10
And she lifted her hand, and she lowerd heir
A no,ham! a woman no, help give a hand
- woman 4! "a woman We Know by the tears.
Then gently AZ touch of the truest Of woman.
Thov lifted BIN up from the earth ~ be feil,
Aud into the boar. with hafmd1en swell
OF tire heart that was holy and Jnderly human.
Hrs sen thu assumed. from the tears that pain and
t,erl had wrung from his blue eyes. the AmazOns he
flowed him safe companion aud took him away with
ehem 10 their suuht islands, Tney brought him fish and
fruit aud till ne strong and well Then
they said AZ up In their midst, how tall she
,sI" Aud wnep they remembered the peril through
which their gucsi had passed they said, how brave
sine ~ - VITA womsnlv pride they garments for
nm; nut be wore tbem sbaIneiaeedly To confess his
snanhood wond to doom himself 10 death according
10 tBear laws. BUD life sweet.
gts he TOOK him apart: then the Amazons came
And entrtatrd Of him with their eloquent ewes
And their earnest and passionate souls Of flame.
And The soft words that are broken OF signs,
IT, be of their own. bnt he SUI denied
And ne ward with himself. aud ms chvalrOus heart
Arose and rebeli'd &c the treacherOns part
lie play'd fs his life; and be grew 10 despise
The thOugtd Of himself with a sh1idder OF shame,
And how'd aud 9bssh'd he stole further aside
They sighed as they were forced 10 him 10 him
seIf whi,e they through their martial exercises
aometiues they ieasted and he Joined shyy ia The