Daily Los Angeles herald., 1881-04-21
gus Sugeles gerald.
I.s D. Cselbrith's Book Of Poems
tSan Francisco Bulletin.l

Iaa D. Coelbrith's Book Of Poems.
tSan Francisco Bulletin.l
The Overland Monthly and other
magazines, were occasionally en-.
riched by brief poems contributed
BY Ina d. Coolbrith. These were
eagerly read by the public, fre-
quently quoted verbally, and from
time to time were drifting about In
the newspapers. Had the author
lived within an hundred miles
from Boston, and published ON that
side Of the country only 30 much
% was published in q more limited
way here, she would have taken
rank among the three or four best
female poets In the country. Fame
is, after all, b matter of types, and
Of that commercial interest which
sometimes blows the horn for pub.
lishsr and author. Literary fame
founded on poetry, 10 apt to be q
thin vapor until the public has
given 1t q generous recognition.
Jean Ingelow might have written
fugitive poems In California half
her lifetime, and yet have been
quite unknown to fame at any great
distance from home. Yet no other
poet 10 90 often suggested in read.
Ing the poems Of Miss Coolbrith.
There 10 nothing like imitation, but
the rythm and undercurrent Of
thought, "the sad, sweet strains"
recall the songs Of the other. If
one were to inquire, why the CAL
ifornia songster has not given more
to the public, the answer might
be suggested that the thrush and
the bobolink, while singing of
nights and mornings, do not get
their living In that way. Even
the skylark 10 not always singing
In the heavens, but is down close to
the ground, possibly looking after
some material backing for songs.
The quality Of these poems may not
have been lessened because Of ev.
ery-dsy burdens which were some-
times uncongenial and oppressive.
But II 30 much has been done un-
der adverse circumstances, the In
quiry, though fruitless, is suggest
cd, what might have been done If
all circumstance and influences
had been marshalled in . more
favorable way? These poems have
found . fitting typographical dress
ct last. The volume Is handsome
ly printed, and Is accessible to the
public by subscription.
One OF the longest and best sus.
tAinsd poems in the collection is
that entitled "Californis," which
was written as ommencement
poem for the University about ten
years ago. It is the symbolized
California, as the sculptor would
chisel 1t in stone, the painter delin.
cate 1t on canvas. so put In song,
giving 1t melody and the grace of
numbers, telling of ruder and bar.
baric days and Of the ripper years
when there 10 Q waiting for the
poet to come and slug Of her gio-
Ties:
What matters though tho roorn
Redden upon my singing fields of corn
What matters though the wind s unresting
Ripple the god Of wheat,
And my Wales run with wine.
And on these hills Of mine
The orchard boughs droop heavy with ripe
fruit?
When with nor sound Of Lutte
Nor Tyre, doth any singer sing
Ne, in my life's fair spring:
The main song OF me in my young dayi
But all my lays and legends fade away
From lake and mountain to the farther hem
OF sea, and there be none to gather them.
Many of the poems are in a mi.
nor key-that, apparently, best &C.
cording with the moods Of the au-
thor-yet the thought is always ex-
pressed with felicity, and with the
art of choosing words so that the
art 10 not seen. The following lines
are part OF o short poem written
recently Beside the dead":
1t must be sweet, o thou, my dead. to lie
With hands that folded are from every
task;
Sealed with the seal of the great mystery
The lips that nothing answer, nothing ask.
"The Road to School" is in quite
another vein, recalling for most OF
US schoo l.day associations and the
freshness of life which it were we'll
not to have outlived:
How tenderly, from stone to stone,
Where the deep stream ran swift and
clear,
He led my timid footsteps on
Ny gay, young cavalier
He knew each haunt Of bird and bee
The secret of each nestling brood,
He mimicked every melody
That thrilled the listening wood;
With many carved and quaint design,
Would fashion acorns into beads,
Chains OF the needles of the pine,
And whistles out Of reeds.
Ahl many time the brave voice spake,
An earnest pleader in my cause;
The tanned, round hand went ont to take
Dire strokes for broken laws;
And many prompting, timely said,
The masters dreaded anger turned
From the small, idle, faxen head
Whose tasks were yet unlearned
Life gives no faith All, child-mate, dear
When the appointed years shall fall
From OF me, as 9 cloud, and near
And clear hear the call
And the new way is strange to me,
Resch thou, and lead me. hand-in-hand
Al down the path Of eld, till We
Before the Master stand
Since Burns sung of the daisy,
has anything more fragrant than
this been expressed in numbers?
WhAreforo IL II 90 7 naa.'
Through the fragrant meadow-grass,
That the daisies, nesting shyly in swee
places,
Lifting crispy, curly heads
From their new, warm clover-beds,
Seem to nv imagining, little elfin faces