St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1880-08-06

Ioetlou Vi frOSe anu FOetfy, Dy the
Mad Poet.n
1t was the custom of M'Donald Clarke
to invest with the glamour of romance
the incidents and occasional topics of
the town, which he would depict in
glowing verse, with real Byronic fer
vOr. The fair bellies of the city came in
for share of his tribute, and were at
times eulogized in poetic straiDs of
more than ordinary merit at others,
depicted in such colors as the dulcinea
of Don Quixote: hence, the wayward
cOquettes of old Gotham retained
wholesome awe of the EMad Poet,n and
his rhymes. His wit and good natured
railery had in truth, salutary effect
among all with whom he came in con-
tact-his truth, simplicity, and upright
ness of purpose serving to check the
cavils of wOuld-be critics. On one me-
morable occasion, in the course of
newspaper controversy, John Lang of
the Gazette, in malicious way, re-
marked that the brains of Col. Stone of
tne commercial, were little zigzag,
Ike Ine Mad Poets. Clarke chanced
10 Call at the Commercial office soon
after, and hndlng the uncourteous allu-
slo@ ID the columns of the rival sheet,
at once dashed off the following i'm.
prOmptu:-
"1ll tell Johnny Lang, in the way of laugh,
Since he has dragged my name in his petulant
brawl,
That some people think it is better, by half
To have brains that are zigzag than no brains at
all"
His sarcasm, his scorn of the base,
selfish and untrue, his love for the good
and true and beautiful, shine brightly
in the poems of M'Donald Clarke. Many
real gems have fallen from the pen of
the Mad Poet, but these are too often
overlooked or discarded amid the gro
tesque and even absurd effusi0ns of
this erratic genius, who has in many
instances eXemplified the truth of the
old adage, "'Tis but a step from the
sublime to the ridiculous.n
The later productions of Clarke in
clude "Afrara, or the Bellies of Broad
way" published in 1886, and ga Cross
and Coronet," in 1871. At the same
time with the former, large collection
of his poems was published, embracing
his finest productions in former years.
Several of the poetic sketches of socie-
ty, rural scenes, ETC., evince not only
the inspiration of genius, but talent and
sentiment of high order. The follow
ing, ''On Seeing Young Girl Looking
Very Wistfully into the Street, from a
Window of Miss SIS Boarding
school in Broadway" is in the more
natural mood of the "Mad Poet:"-
"Sequestered girl-and dost thou deem
Thy life is hard because thou'rt hidden
From public ife's bewildered stream,
And public pleasures fruit forbddenl
Thou little knowest how many cares
Are scattered DER the surge of fashion,
How soon its guilty scene impairs
Each virtuous hope, each modest passion.
"The world assumes winning shape,
That soils what'ere may dare to eye it,
Aid those young hearts alone escape,
That have the fortitude to fly it.
''It takes the mask of cOaxing eyes,
Of languid words, and bashful wOoing
OF tutOred prayers and treacherOus signs,
To tempt the innocent to ruin.
"ThOse who have mingled in its clash,
And outwardly would seem to prize it,
Its sweetest cup would gladly dash
And while they feel its smile-despise it, .
"The broken FORM the ruff1ed cheek,
The icy voice, the cheerless manner,
Disguised hope and feeling speak,
Worn out beneath bandits banner
Maiden in some yet shapeless years,
ThOu'lt find too true what have spoken,
And read these lines perhaps with tears,
That steal out from a heart that's broken"
Another poem, recalling memories OF
nis No" En nSi"uu io'io, anu 'uo - an
"ion itn ~ 10 SUI is
cn.i''oo ouiu"J Ill ouiniiiei' AAoie
IL 10
"hen the tumult and toll OF the week have
oeasuu'
Tno saat Sab,,ntI' '"A. s".',es ~ tlie ess
1a,, CON, tbat ia tai,,+ ~ e. f 49,
'' -' - ''N p''D'-' f'''
THE rich clouds are fringed with yellow and blue
Ihe hps OF the flowers are sllvered with dew;
Inc m,nus are lepossu upon ION o,ows Oh pam
--"''' '''' 10 '''''''N VII ''' ''''i AN"i' ''in'
The orchard-trees bend their full arms to the
earth
In blessing the breast where their beauty ha'
BIRTH
ana whiie oendlng IN crimson luxuriance there
seem 10 nave joined IN the sabbath hrst prayer
THE little birds sing their gay hymns in tn,
bOughs,
ne sun gen'y h''S itS proad iorehead Oh mgh'
Would he ween ont the stains of his sensual
While nature is brimmed with affection and nraise
Re a stranger to God. ON this dearest of davsg