New-York tribune., 1875-10-09
JOAQUIN MILLER'S POEMS
1.-THE SHIP IN THE DESERT"

faults may be found with Joaquin miner az P." Wv
time to ignore him snuff him out Is past ana any
thing that he may do now is OF commanding a''en
| t,on His new poem. "The Ship In the DESERT
| which Roberts Brothers havo nearly ready, Will pe
| one OF the much talked about books Oh 'ne
season--it will have both ardent admirers anu
| scornfu critics. For IL has plenty VI i"u.'
| to provoke criticsin-faults of kind, too that mr
Miller ia not likely Outgrow, since they pieise hiS 'a
tastc TASTE and since he the most independent OF heu'
and Yields little to the cres OF the critics Inc laus
which we called csrcessness In ms carrier 'ohcS mus.
be the result Of willfulncss now scc 'hey ieha' anu
are even intensified. after so mueh literary eApccho'
He delights in using ransyc verbs as II they were
verbs which required object. "She does not weep'
He did not utter" etc. Why he should say
"aand instead of on land do not know nor do see
any excuse for such lines as
| perpetual topt poplar trees
"' "And ON his right grizaed grim"
Icou,d o an and find these small faults intcrmnably
mention Them at ALL however only ~ concession TO
those sow-witted souls who think II you praise oook
cord. .y for the things Ike in IT, ana say morning vi
the rest that vo must I've blind to its dfcct ana reaY
your opinion IL therefore worth nothing al AL 1hey
will sanction no commentator without ifs 1uaiyins
but" For the benefit Of these uneasy people want 10
cav in the beginning that there plenty of butts III
Mr. JoaGun Mer's new poem: ~ there arc HHfS 10 DO
in everything he docs-ths seii-~itd poet out III inc
desert Yet Mr. Miller poet, and so let us thank
poem. which one vino wants to Keep pace WIN 'n' "
| erafuTc of the tinr afford TO leave unread.
| The London dHcn complains Oi It's yaS'"neSt OF
conccntion and cyrcntion and with some justice; yet
think have gained tolcrsby clear understanding even
or the story which certainly secondary thing, ana
introduced rs Mr.. Miller s1ys IN lis preface because t'
world must have u a!c. must pause moment to speak
OF rrfacas poetical bit OF p:osr you will meet
with in ly's Journey. The book IL dedicated u hs
parents and them Also the Preface Is addressed
will uuoc portion OF it. Tor 1t is ood as any lhng IN
| Tie volume:
Nearly a quarter of century ago you took ,ne The long
and hafyeais journey across the mighty con
ucnt wild; and rent. and broken ~. ana sow s3wh @ WIN
@ un. IA a'' u ~ rt Il ~ 80 nod f"4;o he h, md Of cod
NJ the time as tread this Strane land reiyc those
srrurs and you are with How dark and deep how
suep strong. and lioniikc he mighty Nisear rolled
| known domain nf the middle woiid before Us 49,, a.,
Then the flah and bufrtcd rats ON thr river, me
and children Lu!dcd together, ne shouts O thc
hawny men as they ,"am with lhr b4'ioMing 'al,%
The cows ia the stormy ocan, eddi lhg Whrln.' sin
ming about, calling - their yons thet nrlSIt n',,s
% s9nf & n thG na1 T - h1S nnE Ml a s SnS VA & % ho% @
Gcspisug weakness, opening way. letting II" S." on
moon lay down t1gctler ana Brought iorth the stars
The lorg winding lines OF wagons. the graves ny
the waysir the women weeping together as rF passed.
on. Then lils, Li,n ilina pachcu tih' I,;' - -
dust and ashes and a!kHii, cool sIcainS WIN Wo as
camps hy night. great wood ir,s circles t5ns IN ti
center like Cesar hatc-;amIs. painrd men that PASSED
Ike shadows showers Of arrows the Wild beasts h""I'%
! The poem i, ." u tale of pursner and purs'ed' We
Rave, in the bcgianing - pi"t"" of two boats enc
\ low black boat that hn.;s'd the shores.
! An iigy boat, an ugly cIcH,
| Tiick-lipp'd ani woJly -hea ici tlayc'.
That ii. thai beat tho wie-lSh oars
That clcn the muity waters through
That clilnb'd ~" swift MiSsOurl's WIVES
The surly. wOOllyhcad1l slaves
| 4 grand old Neptune in the prov.
| Gray-hIird. ahi witc with toaci "i I ih'.
Yet sr9i: rs III las middle PRIME;
with beard blown by Wind Of seas.
| AuI Wild ami white - whtc sst-si":".
| AIcng thc TOYS boats wIiukied track,
TGcn fold his mantle round form
Hr0idbu!t Is any Hercules,
Aud 50 sit silently.
| The grim Old soaking sits lis bride,
| \ sun-lani blossom. rndcly torn
| From tIopic forests to br worn
Ab3vc ~ atcTl breast ds Ger
StOO king ai SEA OF anywhere
Another boat with other
Came swift and silent N hcs track.
| And now shot slorcward now shot back.
ANA now slt rocking iio aid 10.
But never orcr host sight of h r
TALL .mbJ:n,. southern iacn were 'h.''c
From islcs o; blue Caribbean sc's.
And one. that wOmau's worship'r.
Wbo looked on her. and loved bu her
From this opening description. dodbt arises much
OF that sense of yaguencss of which The AhcR0a CON
pains For You observe, tie beauty the u!anf bios
spna + tie heroine of thc tale X here srokcn o ls
the bride OF The grim Old Soaking wh" = barTS her
away while the tuth IL. yQa discover further on iai
she is l child. hardly suspect Mr. &i'r OF ha'-
ing constructed s plot C:rclclY a. 90 have meant
20 represent her he old mans bride IN the III place.
and aftcrwar concuiud have her his daughter, and
vet Irf the first paIt unchanged infer. rather that ho
| merely means the b. ginning that she
| seemed. To those looking on, t. bc The ola
| mans bride. The central figure IN thc pn.-
snn. boat WAS Vasluts tie lover % Ina. Between In
! and Morgan lnas father, exists an unexplained bu'
mortal hatred Ina ana yasqae love each other anh the
father i, determined la scuarat, hen. For THE urpoa
he makes ihe long n-h which h the theme Of tlc poem.
from tlr Missouri n the uttcnos: west the shore - tsc
ultimate sea. A.S strange rivers. through wastes Of
white and sand. amid dGsolac riS inc ana NG
lands foIsaac of Grd and man. you always the pI.-
sued. the grim king. with bis ba:d 0i black nen ana
Tie orc fJr woman in the md~ OF chem. and the iiF
s,e9 led on 10y yaslurs. terrible with love ani hate
And who that reads wonder that he loves iair nl
| A great -sd beauty. in whose eyes
| Law all the love, uG Paradise.
q you hld loved her sitting there,
Half hidden in n:r lO1scnd hair;
VIM, yoa had loved her for her cycs,
| OF Oftcudernf.5s. ard well mistoOk
| Their love for light oi Paradise
| Yea loved her for her large dark eyes:
! Yea, loved her fOT her bTOw's soft brown;
| Her hand IL light aS heavens bilsi
| Yea, oy ed hcr for her mouth Her mouth
| Was roses g.uhcI't from the south.
| The south side Of Paradise.
| And brratiicd upon ana hiiitcd down,
| By angels on STAR OF STARS
Her mouth twas EgJpt's mouth OF old
Pushd ont and pontins fhll ahd bold
| With simple beauty where she sat.
Why. YOU had said on seeing her
| This creature comes from Odt the aim
| Far centuries beyond TIE nm
| OF times re;nOtcst reach or stir
| And he who wrought Srmirims
! And shaped the SlDyls seeing THIS,
| Had bow'd and made u shrine thcfcat,
| And all his life lad worshipd her,
| DcvOut as northNlc worshpcr.
0 sweet chnd.facc, that ever gazed