The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-02-19

Mr.. Riley is too much . poet in the larger
and better sense to his best success as
writer of sonnets. There is. / have
indicated above, no need to make selections
from these poems for the benefit of Western
readers, but familiar as they to all. will be
pardoned TO. suggesting that this stanza from
the initial poem, "Afterwhiles," is so thorough
" informed with what every one feels and
knows in his life and purposes, and the state
ment OF it is SO tenderly beautiful that it should
lie printed in golden letters. and hung up in the
most frequented rooms of all our homes Listen
to il:
"Afterwhile-and one intends
To be kinder to his friends
To walk with them, in the hush
OF home-leading fields, and stand
Long at parting. hand IN hand;
One, In time, will JOY to take
New resolves for some ones sake,
And wear then the look that lies
Clear and pure In other eyes
He will soothe and reconcile
His own Observation-Disclosures.
And so let Us pass regretfully from the study
of two delightful books of poetry, but with re-
eret that will soon be tempered. however, and
atoned for by the light which q strong soul has
shed upon the pages OF Mr.. Coates Kinneys
Lyrics of 1.-THE Ideal and the Real" More than
thirty years ago Mr.. Kinney had written The
very first place amongst Western poets But
printing . small volume OF verse at time when
the public thought Of the country was rocking
with the pre- monitory throes OF the upheaval or
political parties and old ideas that was soon to
follow, and, 1t in consequences failing to win tne
success he anticipated for it, he made the mis-
suits. and turning q genius for the higher
forms of literature into paths that were not SO
congenial to it. and in which Its success gould
never be great as in the field of song. Now,
after q third of a century has passed away, No
returns TO his pative haunts and gives us one OF
the strongest books OF verse that has fallen from
tho American press in recent years. 10 say
that these poems are great In their
scope and purpose, in their thought-compelling
force and the sea-like music of their wonderful
numbers 10 not to over-state their worth In the
least degree. Here are the Rain Upon tho Roof"
1.-THE Heroes of the Pen "lntervale." which we
used to know as 1.-THE Eden of Wishes" and
..Discontent," which have been SO popular for
years and years ''The Rain Upon the Roof"
having enjoyed for thirty five years popularity
not second to that given to any American poem
of it's class. Here also are such inquiries into
the mysteries of things. OF the material and
spiritual universe. of force and love, OF the
power that creates and destroys, as "Pessim
and Optim." which 10 the longest poem in the
book. 1t is the coptrasted arguments of force
that is blind and unfeeling. and force that is
the essence and power of love; that which pro-
duces all things from material primaries and IL
material itself, with that which is immateria and
spiritual and informs Its material creations with
a spiritual life that grows large in man ana is
immortal. In the end tho optimist view out
weighs and sings down the pessimist view and
the poem is as healthfui and hopeful in its con-
illusions it is great in its STATEMENTS, and
when it winds up with song of faith and hope
he who has followed its augmentation cries
in unison with it,
o immortal my soul!
To live and to know.
And flow with the whole
Divine being dow.
my soul! from the dark
Wherein flesh is born
Soar and sing like the lark!
For here is the
Then there are such wonderful verses those
under the TITLE Sane Immortality"
Madonna" .'Ships Coming In." THE Haunt
ing Voice." and DUTY Here and Glory There"
with it's swinging and ringing music closing
with this beautiful. thought:
ssWbere7 Nv soul looked III and QUESTIONED
Up to where the stars were burning
In the grand and awful temple
OF the midnight-up to where
Vision stops against the curtain
Of the infinite, but spirit
Puts aside the veil and enters:
1t is there! o it is there!
Thrilled the whisper through my being,'
Duty here for little lfetimes,
Glory there for endless ages
Duty here and glory there!
In the pulsing, wonderful melodies OF these
strong poems one finds hints of Wordsworth,
Byron Mrs. Browning and Edgar A. Poe, all at
once and all in one, and yet there is no tmita-
ton; it is simply that the scope and power OF
Of its own originality. Who was It that said
that no great poet could rise up in tho
oompiishment let no man put limits
to the future. But it is vain to attempt in
a review like this to suggest the many ex-
cellencies of the book or call attention to the
noble things it contains. We miss from it's
pages such beautiful things as 1.-The Love Song"
in Kenka, beginning:
"From the Graded lull by the heartstone
To the cofined iull in the clod."
And that delicious. laughing, ripping song,
'tMinnehaha." In fact. there are many things
that miss from the volume. but its brief
that il is welcome. most welcome to all who
love the poets art And, when one has read the
Lyrics OF the Ideal and the Real" he feels that
there is nothing like them IN recent poetry, and
nothing superior to many of them in tho poetry
of any period B. s. p