The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1876-07-06
Bayard Taylor's ssOde."

Poets '.laureate" are not very widely
distributed in this country. They thrive
best among princes and potentates, who.
swn praises are sung pursuant to order.
The best opportunity to become the poet
laureate of this country that ever fell
10 any man, was offered to BAYARD
TAYLoR, by selecting him to write the
'.Centennial Fourth Of July Ode" and
he missed it. The principal cause of his
missing this distinction doubtless Is
mat Taylor is not a poet. Neverthe-
less, the production ordered was writ
len and read, and has been published,
As eur "Uentennial0 ode" For the sake
sf the country We regret the circum-
stance. .Ea.F fa u
We are told on authority that, "The
bde CONSISTS of unequal verses in stanzas
pr strophes." We presume that defni-
hon is correct, for that is precisely what
Eaylor's "Centennial Ode" consists Of.
1t is composed entirely of ''unequal
verses in stanzas or strophes." There
tsnothing else in it.; absolutely nothing
In these verses in stanzas or! strophes
except their inequalities. Those are
conspicuously apparent and painfully
abundant. Ii these ,"unequal verses"
constitute an 'sode," then Taylors Gem
tennial production is unquestionabiy an
ode.
Literary critics inform us that there
are two classes Of odes, the less, and the
greater; and that the former class OF
sdes are distinguished for sweetness,
md the latter for sublimity. Now, as
Shis Centennial Ode has neither sweet
ness nor sublimity, its classification be-
somes puzzling to its readers. +'i'' .''f -
This ode lacks the primary element Of
every acceptable literary composition
perspicacity. 1t deals almost entirely
in those secondhand goods known as
pronominais; and the reader 10 per-
picked beyond measure in the endeavor'
10 find suitable nouns for all the pro-
Nouns to fit. There seems to be some.
parsonage of The feminine gender in the
sase, as we infer from the lavish expend-
kurs of s'shes and ''her' upon the sun
pqaai verses" Of this ode. But to dis
sover the full proper name of this female
parsonage to whom these humble and
harmless pronominals refer Would ex.
Bsed the powers Of the most gifted de-
Iective. sai.gtaa .t3a ia'42 -''s.
Atfrst, we fancied that ashe" was
fhe'verbal representative OF "the Land"
Bucthe farther we read In this ''odeD the
less'we knew about its meaning. For
howcould we fancy s'the Land' we live
IN to be found SIN the clefts Of the rocks,
IN the secret placssp How could We
Imagine that y .il3 L''h4 ahI
s'OHthe shores OF Continent cast,
She won the inyiolate soil ,tIr
&y loss OF heirloom Of all the Past" T.
Hew could common sense presume
DAat'we could say Of our t'Land,'-- n
sShs planted homes on the savage sod;
Into The wilderness lone bak iiA.','
She wafksd with fearless feet,
In her hand the divining-rod,
Till the veins OF the mountains beat
With fire Of metal and force Of stonel -
She set the speed1of the rivef.head
To turn the mills OF her bread;
She drove her plouSh0re deep
Through the prairis's thousand centu-
ried slespR of siai oas ,siiosH 'A'
This, II appearing anywhere but in a
eCsntennial Ode by Bayard Taylor"
kouids be pronounced arrant nonsense
And'cven there, II sounds vastly Like 1t.
Ambiguousnsss 10 sometimes said to
s an slsment Of the sublime. Conced.
sts-.i Tlggi.e 7SavY foi ifftfh} 'A fHt'. E.