The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-01-01

5. WIFI.
Elisabeth Barrett Brotrnitg. = - /:
when. telling OF. their. saints. and: idols.
Enough it is for US to know that she: sang.
as never sang woman before. And perhaps
it was, after all. a. little bit like. throw:
ing black cloth over the cage of "a n ut:
ingale to ma ka him sing as If in his beloved
twilight. .Wetlfd that Ihera: were more
.sueh som Der corners in this world-or at
least more such singers TO hide away an
them and sing and: sing in.thelr tWtllg
while the whole world listensl :: -.
:. Oyer ON the lher side of the ATno near
|. the center Of the little hill which forms the
Campo Santo of FlOToifceis. er,was twenty
& years ago.. an: open :. walled-up: grave, or
leather it was the half of a grave; the one
half being already. the resting.pIace. Of
Elizabeth Barrett Browning, the other half
|. having been.sieft waiting for. hls:oWn COM.
ing:by Robert. Browning her srHs band. !:
F.. But when he died over in Venice and: not
far away, nv estdinster claimed him. and be-
/. hold. his body. was taken despite. his own
& piansand the'epen grave that awaited him
+ by the. side of his beloved. 0at.np0p West
minister, say No. sacred isW estminster.
!: but tie management must he queer. They.
I disdaibed the dust of Byron. and yet:
robbed: Italy of. BfOwning's ashes, and in:
feffanceof b is most sacred protest: laid him.
blythe Sluggish Thames, far away from
the res ting place OF his choce and the wife
of his bosom. = - : =: = :.
/ Let us hope and Believe that the soul is SO
glorified and glad in the life sitter death
that il is qufts indifferent to: what trans
plies with tie body after its release, and
that it Looks down WIFI serene content ON
Whatever .is.:::: Surely The. dead know,
especially siroh Intelligent dead as the
Bro wnilsgs. All that: transpires:j iii the
world after their .:departure.: ana
perfectly certain of s. this; SO certain
th / re fuse. to say mere aoout It. Butt
thefr:piiy and sweet sympathy IS great
toward those whom they TOUCHDOWN upon
and are. waiting to Welcome that they
suffer il pain or dispieasure. at hay-
ing their most: sacred WISHES So. sighted
when; they :: can Ro5s::.:loAger protest.
Why, we're it not. so: it seems to me as:if
that Hons ghost of Browning weuld break
to dust The STONES of. the crambling old
abbeY.by the Thames and GO back to the
sweet: air of Italy, and II: the soft moon.
!. light listen to the nightingale that sings by
: his:sweet wife's grave: -: :::::
E But i forget:that am writing of a ight-
in gale s.ynice and y0n do net :care3to hear
much mere: of: ire while she is: to be card.
Heaghen 10 her great god Pan. please.
i: ::*:: IS: -. -. y . 49,
/: What was he doing. the great god PAM:
DO WIN. Ia. Tie reeds BY Ire rixer? =:
=: :: Spreading ruin and scattering: ban, -. 60,
Splasht &. anu .pasidllng with hoofs:of goat,
j: " Aid break Ifg the golden lilies sfioat, $50
-. with lhe dragon-ffy ON 1heriverf;
r. He tore out:areed, the great goa Pan
Prom tie deep.ceol ned:ot. the river.: : 81
.: The unpHL water tuf6d y .rant IS; ::
And the DrokeH lilies a.dying: iaEs Z. 3?
=. And the dtag6Ii- fly had fed away = e
-: Ere hebronght II oatef the RIVER: :. ::
; 3.
= High on tie shore safe. the great god Pan.
While ttfrbialy flowed. the r4yer;s:. g
>. And hack ed ana bewsl as a. great god can
W 18th mis- lard bleak steelat the patient reed, 8:
- Tt1there was not signsof leaf tndeed: -
/: q: 10 prove IT, fresh from the river -: -.
:. -. He cut It short did the great grd:Pan: g.:
(iow. tail IT stoot In the river,
. g. Then drew:the pith like theneart Of "a man, !.
+: :: - Steadiiy from the outside fling. -
: = Then notehe6 the. poor dry empty thing = =
In holesas he safe by the river : ::
,Ths is she way, Laughed the grestgou Pan, i
'.s:::tLaugheu while hesate by the flverD -
1.-THE only way sneegods began =:
Then dropping his mouth TO ho lie In the reed
=: :: He blew:ia power by the rTver. -.
!: 5: Sweet sweet. sweet, o Pan: :: =
f. :: Piercing sweet by the RIVER, : = :: -.
f.. Biindins sweet e. e great god Pan Z -.
:, :: And the,liIies revived. atsi the dragon.1y
(: Game: back to dream on the river: =
|. YET haif beast is the great god Pan T..
:. ITO laugh as be sits by the river; .:'.: S.
Making poet out or aHhsns
~ The true gods sigh for the cost and THE pain :;
i - For:the reed that grows never more. again
-: Asareed withfhe reeds OF theriyers. :
: Now, you may. not like: those lines par-
ticularly but / defy you to forget theni
while YOU live. And thar:is because it is
real poetry, picture, as is every poem. A
short poem, in my humble way ofthipking.
must be a picture. No matter how short il
may be. 1t must:be picture TO be renem-
bered. A larger poem or even long
poem is simply a succession OF pictures-a
/ But here is something quite like Robert
Browning, as far as strength goes. but
fuller of tears tears to the throat. And see
how meloli0usly she talks OF telegram
kilograms and tears! ] recall what cry of
horror went. up from the lungs Of English
critics once when Browning put In one of
his sweetest poems. this The. scratching
of a match" But read his wife's; ~.
b: GARIBkLDI..
He bent his head. upon his breast g >.
Wherein his lion-heart lay sick
perhaps we are not ill-repad- :. -:
Perhaps this ID not astrue test: 90 E: "a
Perhaps that was lot foal triCk:
Perhaps none wrohged and none betrayed.
sPerhaps tire pecple's vote which here =:
!! United there may disunite.
And both be iawfI, as they think;
/. PerhaEs patriot statesman. dear
For chaFterng nati0sss can with right.
sDisfranchise those who holdthe ink.
perhaps men s wisdom Is not craf5 -
Mems greatness not a selfish greeds. -;
Mems lust ice, not the safer side. = go
Perhaps even .women when they: laugbed- -:
Wept, thanked us that the land was:freed; O.
NOT wholly though they kissed usl He'd. $
/ "Perhaps no more than this we meant. :::
l.. When upat Austria's guns We flew
And spScdIhen- with aciy apiece.
'Isciiidr-Yet dream war sent
The little house my father knew
= T Ire olives and The ID inns Of teen.
He paused and drew his sword out slow.
Then pored upon the blade intent asif to read
some written thing. :.
| iNhie many murmure0, "He witgo In that de-
tpiiring sentiment -.
And break password before the King
| He pering stsll upon the blade.
His large lid quiyeTed something fell.
perhaps. y. he said. II was not born
With such fine brains TO treat and trade.
And 81 n woman knew itweJ -.
/ Her faisehVod only meant her scorn.
| "yet through vareses cannon smoke
My eye saw clear: men feared this man
AtComo. where his sword could deal:
| Deaths protoeof at every STROKE.
/ And now the drop there scarcely can
Impair the keenness OF the steel
! $50 man and swor may have their use;
And IL the soil bedesth my foot
/ In valors act Is FORTE ted,
/ I'll > trike the b. rider, take my dues
cut n6blor, aud the loss confute
From arnplsr heavens above my head.