Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1886-11-13
ATTUNES HIS LYRE.
BILL NYE'S LINES on THE DEATH
OF 4 MARRIED HAN.

Written ca the Theory OF Conveying an
idea and stin Sot Iaf.rnias the Pub
uo-speci-nens os Fine word Paint
ing By the Bard.
Ihare beea waiting patiently for tha con,-
Ing poet to take Up and treat q tt,cElla which
his for years baen knocking On TIE 6oor g
TIE slu,lberi-.y bard, eni csiay for admission
and recognition. The slaElDariHg bard his
ignored taae call. lie hes slurlbe7ed OF. lie
has termed o-ar and put : pillow = each eor,
as It were, II order to avoid the loud, c,,n,o<-
Gus appeal CT tbs thcr1e. He has shown
that he y-o.ld rather continue 70 be the slC-n-
boring bard ct his present salary than the
coming pct g better par.
So I have been compelled TO attune ny own
Tyre, and, il hating numbers, handle & my
scf. Il Is cllt OF ny linz 10 write poct,-, but
thos3 who link cannot y7ritc a poem that
viii be Tavc1o..s--y snapped up and published
By tho AIrag!cca press 90 not thoroughly
urde-s.a-.l ny true nature.
Any C. 70 nay to able % write pastry, 10
doubt; b. WI il be Published! That IS
the tes5. Hill i, / cslz, OF VIII j. not IL pub
Lsaeii
10 ETT--o true poetry, Therefore we must
net Do - s7i1ly u crafty ourselves. &c
shou-. Te.ce-abcT' tl-t tho publisher, tha Oh
tor ara tllo p1bllc have feelings. clso. IL
theory has 2.v,1-5 been and sti.L IS hat poetry
shculi Be 50 ,sritten taas It WI convey al
idea and sill not i:l.la-no thcpubIic Inl1ra-
rlatory poocrT Is unworthy and traasitory II
its results. 1 20 Rot know that I am making
rlyscIf I-rl--eiy clear. but let those who read
these l.l-s cttc1lro 70 write luc.dly and
lcarncCl- cl csEbjecC OF which they are en-
t-ely i--,.ul---2s and they viii sec n once how
am L2Hnpc-1d
But 70 continue the thought. l say that
poetry shoull, in ny judgement. awaken q
thro5 il ever heart. IS i rot. q pleasingsen-
satiCn for tAe true poaS % know that he holds
in lis hand TIE consolidated throb5e-s OF 90, :
050 GO people, exclusive cf Indians rot faxed
and therefore exe,np.i
believe 80.
Il is therefore = great boon to ne 70 realize
CT this pleasant morning that mighty null
titudc weep together with Iie over the follow
inS poem, which IS founded On facs. There
are tears II il I know. I would spare the
have IN IL poem through the 1ringar three
VIII the rc>c.ar forgive mo and loan INC his
lachry;.lal glands for q few moments,
The poem Itself is based upon the sudden
drowni1gof married man, who had been for
years connected with tie eel business By his
death his widowed wife was left with no hlis-
band The poem seeks to disclose her woe
and still reveal to the thinking mind how she
muzzlod her GIcs--tt grief and battled on through
life.
In the third c.7d fourth st-nzas | aim TO DO
some fine word painting, and present 70 the
careful student u delicate little picture of the
humid AID yet hungry. moaning sea
Later on l may write so--la more SD poems,
and finally print them il small, dark blue
volume that viii DO within tie reach Of al.
Writing poetry with ITO IS not ir,,so;nc. It
is not hard work, It does not strain my mind
In fact can writo poetry readily while using
my mind for other purpons. 1t IS r3t &C
Quirod in my case. It is q git. Ever since
got jerled around in q cyclone two years ago
and stepped on peal OF thunder and broke
my leg and concussed my brain, could write
poetry Ike this:
4 BRAVE IIEAHT.
srr;G LEES cN TIE DEATH c. MARRIED KAN
TX \ FELLOW s--7El.-a;.
l.
Out where the blue waves como aud 20,
Out where tic zcphyrs kiss the strand,
Doqu whore the damp tides c5b ard flow.
Down where the ocean monkeys with the sand
William, tie hungry, rustlcs Tor his meal,
Slim william, the ceIist, gathers the eel.
Cp where the Johnny Jump Ups SMILE
Up where the green hills meet the SKY,
Where out from her window for many o mile,
She watches the blue ard dimnliaZ lie,
The wife of the cclist, with visa-c grim.
Sits Il the cleaning ard watches f9r him.
Down in the moist and moaning SEA.
Down y.here the day c:n never come.
with staring eyes that can never sse
Ard li-s that VIII over continue dumb,
with Gels IN his breast, in q large vet wave.
William il filing watery grave.
| Up where the cataip is breathing hard.
Up where TIE tauzy IS tiecked with dow,
| W!,=re the vcsDer soft as the onion pee!s
E'1,.cnS the echoes tho q. through.
/ The uaw--ia:e widow Sin watches the shore
! And SITS lhe-o and waits rs sail before.
! Tkey come and tel her the pitiful tale.
With trembling voice AMI ieaT-dimuled eye,
/ They watch t-r check crow ST ,etly I,ais.
! Yet wonder Ct TIC cair1 reply:
! '.1iH our tr-rs arc but &c. ~c-tte!neD.
! Go hri1- II tho c1t5 --.i st him ace'r'-
/ Ell ,ye 81 Ege; Globe