The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1888-05-10
POETS AND POETRY.
A PROMISING YOUNG WRITER
ON THE SUBJECT.
Brief References to Some of the Noted
Poets Of the Past and Present
Written for the GOLD LEAF. !

W !ltl9n the OOl4D f.
Among the almost innumerable pro-
LESSONS and various pursuits of this
great scientific and literary era, there
is no single vocation, pestaps, that
excites within the imaginative powers
or intellectual attributes a deeper rev.
erenCe or aCtuates more sublime emo
ton than the productions of our de-
ceased or surviving poets.
Many of them born in ebscurity,
the offspring of the poorest and hum
blest of earth's occupants, and from
these remote rural homes, where emer-
aid plains, lofty hills, deep and beau
tiful ravines and limpid streams, spread
by the hand of Nature, from the crests
of which hills their majestic vista, they
imbibe the beauties Of this extended
horizon, and their souls enrapt, trans
fused by these enchanting scenes, burst
forth III strains of sweetest poetry.
Surrounded by the scenes of Nature,
which doubtless is conducive and in
viting to the spirit of rhyme, for all
great minds love the haunts of the for
est and are ennobled and refined by
constant access to them.
"They mingle with the ravines and feel
What they can ne'er express yet cnnnot all
conceal
Some of them born in the alleys
and back streets of our cities subsist-
ing on the most simple and insipid
diet, the refuse of the opulent, and
surrounded by the scum and of-scour-
ing of the world.
London, the metropolis Of the East
ern world, has been termed great:
great on account of her poets and au-
thors who denying themselves all ot
life's luxuries and most Of its neces-
saries, walked the avenues Of tina,
mighty emporium, half appareled, in
the bleak winds of December begging
for the crumbs and fragments, that re-
manned from the rich repast of the
Lords, to stay the ravenous woll-hun
ger that gnawed within.
Living up in attics and garrets OF
down in the cold cells of dilapidatec
dwellings in quiet seclusion, where
want and nudity were the most strik
ing features that greeted the eyes o
intruders, and finally dying in wretchec
depravity, the child of afiluence woull
denominate it, but we would sugges
sublime wretchedness, in order to fiji
their mission and perform the task as
signed them ere they blossomed froa
their Mother Earth.
But, while this is fair picture o
our poets, there are exceptions to thl
general rule, and many have ATTENDED
the best seminaries, colleges, universl
ties and institutions Of learning in ou
land, and have conferred honor bot
on themselves and the institutions the
represented.
Poets, like certain species of tn
mocking bird, which being burdene'
with the spirit of song, begins on tn
topmost boush of the giant Of the fol
est to thrill its silvery note and trillin
and swelling and futtering, it grad
ually descends the old oak, its plaln
i've song growing louder, deeper an
more clamerous, with its whole fran
quivering and in perfect tremor, tt
last note being warbled, falls q
empty cmaciated bird PROSTATE
death.
f Thus poets beng burdened with tt
: spirit of poetry, will write, regardle
of all adverse tides, though penur
seclusion and destitution be their 10
( they write, despite every barrier, ever
' obstacle and every fate.
Again they are like the singing trib
+ The bird in its native forest sings wi
9 much vivacity and thrilling ecstac
y and soalz aloft beyond the fleet:l
! clouds, filling the woods with mirt
e e but when captured by the avaricio
/ boy and Gagged in some foreign CT
): ): being denied freedom and often t
e sense of sight, sings sweeter car
/ and awakens tendcrer emotion wit
J. in the heart of its owner.
S Thus poets, when subdued by t
- conflicting tides of this storln-toss
+ ocean life, write as Whittier,
v ''From u..t the torrents troubled drift,
q Above the stora our prayer we lift
c The flesh may fail the heart may faint,
c But who are we 10 make complaint;
~ Strike Thou the Master we Thy keys,
o The anthem of the destinics;
n Thy will be done -
,e We judge by the lives of our po
'e that they are a very amorous and 81
II II ceptible class of beings, and are u
% feigned worshippers at the shrine
,e aesthetics.
c. Their writings taken all in all
we believe very far indexes OF tn
characters. If this be true how uns
II lied must have been the lives OF NJ
a ton, Loagfellow, Bryant, Whitti
at Watts and Wesley. 1.-The life OF
at FIRST" Gillian says, ''wa: great c
ce within ITSELF" also that = his charac
We was ever finer than his transcend