The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1901-05-12
In Praise of Woman.

In Praise of Woman.
Ernest McGnffe, has at last come into hit
own 10y these sonncts OF his TO Wife
stme twenty of which are reprinted IL
this month Current Literature. They mari
/ the high tide OF American poetry In thS
/ present generation, and VIII have a pcrT
mnnent place in English literature hccaus,H
they are the best praise yet uttered of thcg
browning glory OF our Western civilization
the marriage relation. There tx about
them the serenity and grace which Is arpro-
pirate to the subject, and nevertheless the,
/ JOYS which they voice are tianfcstly suck
ms are best striving for. II Is a curious
commentary on the times that these son
nets did not appear In the Century Harp
ors or Scrlbncrs but that they have been
printed scrlally by the Intelligent editor OF
st. Louis weekly. The hlgh,class maya
zines, as Is usual in the case of poetry.
have been doplorably "scooped" In this mat.
ter, hut they will probably never know It.
Mi McGafcN's suunets are creating a pro.
found impression, despite thc,fact that they
FIRST appeared Ia the columns Of provIn.
cal sheet Imagine the sensation they
would have created had they been pub.
lished serlally In the Century, for instance;
but the superstition Is not Imaginable.
These sonncts viii be popular They will
have large sale, for they exnlt woman
In her most sacred violation. ana thoy appcaI
to every chiyalrous and sentimental man
nnd all really good men are sentimental
They will he published soon In book form
by william Marion Rocdy Of st Louis.
II Is worth noting In this connection that
several of the leading firms of tho country
have begged the author FOR thcm almost on
Bonded knee, but they are a tribute TO
friendship as well as to conlugaI love. and
they will go TO Mr.. Rccdy. Here are a
few Of thcse exquisite poems:
X-woMEN.
or such Il woman II may W ~ he said
She has graceful carriage; OF is fair:
Ana Of another She has golden hair
And praise the polse and beauty OF her
head:
Some women may be witty aud well read.
Ana some may charm by throats and
All qr Ewes daughters. all her power
share
70 conquer man aud lead him by thread.
But more than seeming grace or outward
or loycllness that, like a flower In seen,
Is what she keeps shrned sacred and
Some glow Of soul like sparkle In the wine.
some shadowy look like autumn pool
The reflex Of the purencss OF her heart.
NNtV TO MY WIFE.
!, ms nm actor, have played well my part.
moi showing how the sons Of men scorn. |
Those shrlreled, greedy souls who crave
the corn,
The oil and wine, the treasures Of the
mart;
Deon In my soul burn the name Of art.
As one who WAS 4 lyric poeh born
AS one who leads singers hope foriorn
YET with unshrlnking and nnconaucred
| can exist on what Spartan can;
Endure ~ granite; smile when friends
do fail:
Face poverty, and see the years grow
Or bldc my time with any sort NJ man;
Fun IN the teeth of fate fling the
Come age. come death, while have you,
XXy-A woMAN'S LOVE.
II have fought my baser self and raised
Ny thoughts TO high ideals. II is due
To this the love that | have found In
As in your dear eyes have longing razod,
When J look hack ! find myself amazed
At Whai was; what mlrc l fioundered
So far wondered from the pure and true
While all my. good intentions fitfu blazed
a mnn Is hall savage and he needs
Ihe wonlnns presence Ia arouse his soul
deeds;
She i the light that warns him from the
shonl--
The reefs-the rocks-where fell destruc.
tion leads
Aud dark, eugulfng water silent roll.
LXv- CONFINEMENT.
To CLEAN the fields of life and take the
grain IN
with thorns or peoples as the gods de. ,
cree;
70 lightly Jest at winters wrath and see '
Flowers In frost upon the window pane: {
To build our airy castle walls In Spain; ,
However bare the near surroundings be- =
rhls Is the secret Of content; the key :
Which men have given all the world 10 =
gain. =
We find II where the sun and shadows meet
In sylvan spaces costered from the town I y
Where vague, yet clear. Its presence Il
may he seen;
4 rustlps In the dead leaves at our feet
II catches at the ruffle of your gown,
And beckons on with happy eyes serene. n
~ 1
Have We perchance Petrarch among MS Z
md do not realize IL? Il