The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1899-08-24
SOUTHERN POETRY.

During many years desultOry read
ing | have collected good many
Southern poems of merit. Some are
of very high order of merit.
Although most of these poems are to
be found in anthologies or collections
of verse, old and new, they do not
seem to be familiar even to such of
our people as read poetry. knowing
them to be worthy of more general
reading it is my purpose to print one
of these poems in each issue of the
GOLD LEAF until the best of them
have been placed before it's readers.
| will give first those by North
Carolina authors. 1t is generally
admitted, | believe, that this State has
not yet produced a poet. 1t does
seem that nature commissioned Edwin
Fuller, Theo H. Hill and H. J. Stockard
as poets, but somehow fate cancelled
their high commissions. Edwin Full
Ter died before there was time to see
whether his talent would flower into
genius or wither as talent-especially
verse making talents so prone to
do. UntOward circumstances have
ting the best. of themselves in their
verse. And woe to him who cannot
or will not do this. The MUSES. like
the gods, are jealous and sooner or
later withdraw their favor from those
who attempt to serve two masters.
Yet while it may be true that
North Carolina has produced no poet
no life dweller on the heights of
| Parnassus-sOm of our sons and
daughters have made bold and sue
cessful excursions up her vague and
slippery peaks.
Some of the very best of our verse,
too, has been the utterance of one
poem poets. The following is very
| striking instance of this. AS far as
known Mr.. German after this splendid
outburst has remained silent; a
strange thing for one with the gifts
| that this production would indicate.
Although weakened by the last four
stanzas this impressed me as the best
poem ever written by native of the
State. More, it ranks with the best
in our literature. l have often re-
GREETED that it was not better known.
| | called Mr.. Moore's attention to it
when he was compiling his North
Carolina anthology, but for some rea-
son he failed to include it.
| The third and fourth lines of the
first stanza which compare the brood
ing eyes Of the artist to the sombre
depths of the stony vault is all truth
and poetry, while the smile which
compares the flash of purpose therein
to the meteor's blaze in the solemn
depths'of heaveni is exceedingly strong
and beautiful. Equally as fine, too,
is the line,
A smilo broke through the stone
Indeed, of such is the kingdom of
poesy. B.
| AN ANGEL IN THF MARBLE.
| AS block of marble met the glance
| OF DOnatelli'S eyes,
| They frightened in their solemn depths
| . Like meteorological skies.
"Ill hew an angel from this stone,''
The gifted sculptor said,
And fashion it like unto one
| Now numbered with the dead"
| No sooner thought, than chisel bright
| The ShapeleSS mass asSailed,
| And blow on blow, from morn till night,
| The angel form unveiled.
Soon brow was carved, alive with thought,
Two speaking eyes OutshOne;
And as the master sharply wrought,
\ smile broke through the stone.
Now DER the stately bust the hair
Clusters in graceful rings,
| And inch bV inch is slowly freed
| The sweep of half-furled wings.
| Thus mallet deft and chisel keen
The marble letters shed,
| And where the shapeless block had been,
| An angel stood instead,
| These blows that smite and pangs that
pierce
| This shrinking heart of mine,
| Saw. are they not the Masters tools,
| Forming work Divine?
| This hope that crumbles at my feet,
This joy that mOcks and flies,
Say, are they not the clogs that keep
My spirit from the skies?
Sculptor of souls! lift to Thee,
Encumbered heart and hands,
Spare not the chisel; set me free
From these enslaving bands.
| Teach me to know that every ache
That draws my thoughts to Thee,
Is but proof that Thou will make
An angel thus of me.
| GEO. II. german