, 1875-09-05
A CHICAGO BARD,

A. CH1CAGU BARD.
Extracts from the Epic OF tho Morn.
ing Stnr.
About ten daya ago short item appeared in
this paper in reference to q poem which had
been composed by DR.. John Seibert, Of No. 1413
Indiana avenue. The poem, which is about
IL 600 lines long, il written in the rhyming four
line etanza known az common metre, and, aside
from any merits it may hare. is worthy
OF notice on account Of Its length alone In The
language Of the author, "it is poem repre-
eenting the thrall under Satan, the deliverance
by Christ, and tho trne way from the here to the
hereafter" Ita title is 1'The Morning Star, an
Epic Poem," aud it is divided into twenty-five
chapters Of nearly equal length. Millions Para
disc Lost, to which this poem bears much re-
aemblauce in point OF subject, only consists Of
16, 57l linea. 80 TINT the Morning Star II nearly
oue-si1th longer The author defends the uso
Of the ehort rhy1ning lines instead OF the even
dow OF blank verse which has been set apart
specially for epic poems, BY arguing that bis OBJ
ject WAS to teach; that not all persons would be
attracted By blank Serse, aDd ho thought 1t best
to use such metro IS would induce all to read 1t.
The Doctor does not believe IN the doctrine
that man has fallen, but holds that be is only
under the thrall Of Satan, when, by the way, be
saya is an old woman. Ro nlso thinks with
Paul that it is better not to marry. and that ths
By marriage. The soul also, it is claimed, can be,
By indulgence IN Sin, totally destroyed. The
poem has been written entirely within the past
tnreo years, and the poet is now waiting to find
some enterprisiu5 publisher who will print it for
him. In case he is unsuccessful, however, the
Doctor proposes to have it printed and stereo-
typed himself, and then place it in the stores go
that all can easily obtain it.
Extracts from the rcem will give tho best
means OF judging Of its merits and ne give
snveru1 The following are
THv FIRST FOUR bTANLAs:
Meath Edeu's bligsful bowers grew
The tempting fruit OF love,
@Roeo purple ttar OF lurfd hue,
Whero wood tho turtle dove
Was loved the creature morn thxn God,
They blended into one;
With Satan bound beneath tho Ton,
The thorns with roses won.
In Satan,a way O horrors went
70 Eden's fruit destroy;
~ His SHUTTLE art the dcvlt lent
Tho gold corrupt, alloy.
Cre.hon,s na-7ed Gods handtvueh
In places torn were aH:
In e2rthy ways the serpent links
And meu-Gods ap1l:s-fEu.
These stauzas, especially the third. Eeem OBJ
scure, but the poet quoees the Catholic World to
prove that it is cine gus non that poetry to be
| good should be obscu1e, and that when it Is SO
cea- as to CONVEX the sense it falls into tho cata
| logue Of nursery rhymes. Moreover, he aays
| pareon feels gratifed to study ont tho meaning,
| and experiences glow OF satisfaction when he
! has overcome the difficulty, aad obtained a
glimpse, as It we're, Into tho nlooen 1ecessea OF
! the poets mind.
! Here are eone stanzas On
WOMAN.
Strange WOMAN s emile CAT import min
May hated te or lore;
! A. dang,rous IS the serpents h:ss,
Although cootng dore-
He. race uke vorus, must crawl the ground,
| o., horrors! on It haunt;
/ On exrth be desoaton found,
And will the Lord them Hans7
| Where's e.rthy lore, there's Paradise,
It lures away from God;
| From virtues wzyo viii heart ooaees
Lead TO the land Of Nod.
Brings pride, desire, war, and rspdne,
Unveils death's putrid food;
I Then earthly Ia the form divine,
Then shed the Savior's blood.
The following staozas show the origin and
character OF
| TIE AURORA Bo8EALIs:
Tic northern lights, reflections bright,
/ or suns declining my;
Agzinst the Icy mountains whttes :.
In skics, 1antasto plaJ.
Electric nuid from tcebergs risa,
All heated by the SUM-
Then negative it upward dles,
| From positive will run.
With corrufcatiug, flashing light,
-. 4 shimmeriag in the blue;
Iinta teautiful by rainbow bright,
Th electric currents drew.
The following classical allusions are someHhs
mixed:
And Venus, too 1sh becane,
Before the monster deds
! The Protean-headed Typhpn fsnA
| When Cupid defuJ Led.
Arc, golden apples-the fruihon,
I The earthy seeds a-eowlng;
4 living death WAS the tuition
| The good and evil knowing
| rhc, rr,r,ns' head fierce Lco's fsnK1,
| Huge Dracos flames to siays =
| Dread Scorplon's eHng-the dying p&ngS,
| Whist horrors On the WAY!
Then 3nso various go-s woso changed
Tho gods who dwe4. above;
| And into beasts that forests ranged
| Departed hcarens love. =
| Arrturus Sin with mighty arm
/ 6oorns reaching to the pole;
To nghtnins's grasp, sseIt M the n hszn'
There are, however. many etanZas which con
tain ideas often qui:e well expressed, aud tho fol
lowing may be taken as fair examples:
My cords Of love, nay J, e7ses Esss divine,
| Thy r8ys uf glory brightly sAnes
1lIume, enlighten me-
! The sweet and hitter both Alike =:
The joy. the VOC likewise;
| Eternal circles never st11ke,
I AL fail, more 70 t1se
nv.nfsh like the snowy faka.
Or Like the dew Of morn:
Or like uan's purpose when auaket
Is hhghtcd ere tie born.
Like morning clouds that ron xvs3.
Or like forgotten dreams;
Like mist before the rising day
The SUMS daspeEtng beAms-
The stlent grandeur Of the scensl :
|, I The rising noon at night
In luetrn Earnished-lovely queen
In rays Of mellow light
On tounbs OF muuarchs s1gea, kings
| rrea