The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-03-29
A GIFTED WARRENTONIAN.
(Warren Record.)

A GIFTED w o4Nl1N4N"
(Warren Record)
A sprightly FEenchman says: Ihere
are no great poetAin America, but all the
people write verses This opinion pre-
walls extensively in this country. An
American poet is condemned before ne
is read. 1t is the fashion, and fashion.
YOU know. must be followed without
rhyme of reason. Longfellow, Bryant,
Whittier. and a few others have been
lauded as poets, but from Southern
poet our people coldly turn with sneer'
True we have Hayne, Lanier ana Inn
/, rod, peers of the greatest American poets.
Richard Henry Stoddard speaks or TIM
rod, over thirty years ago, as the great
est poet of the South; and few years
ago Henry Wood, distinguished North
ern critic said that Timrod had written
more quotable lines than any poet since
Byron. Thus you see in the opinion OF
competent Judges the South has produced
writer's that do not suffer when compared
with the greatest of modern poets.
The South is naturally the land of
poetry, and the home of the poet, and
we do not believe the muses. deserted our
sunny land when Timrod Lanier, and
Hayne died They are still here inspiring
our true poets to sing beautiful and
soul stirring songs
We have recently had the privilege of
examining FIVE poems by our gifted towns
man. Mr.. Tasker Polk. The limited
space at our command will not permit us
to review at length these creations OF
art When written the poets heart must
have been very near to the heart of ma
ture; for nature speaks through every
| line and we hear her voice and under
stand her language.
In "a Wintry Heart" We see
a wintry day
With it's dark sullen sky
"And the loud waves dash
With a fearful crash
Gainst the rocks upon the shore"
And the frozen stream
Like a silver seam,
Tween its banks of weed and willow"
Thus the poet describes a wintry day
and compares it to a heart cold and
cherries in which are the graves of dead
and buried hopes
1.-The Broken Shell" is a rare, sweet,
sad picture that appeals to the universal
heart of humanity; for from every heart
has poured forth the plaintive wall:
you've killed my musc,"
and alas! the broken shell is never
mended.
"a Letter to is sparkling with
humor, tender with pathos, and through
every stanza the voice Of nature speaks
and the heart of nature beats, and ma
lures eyes divided between smiles and
tears look from every line.
strength and beauty The picturn is
drawn with a firm hand. The colors are
decided and appropriate, the blending is
delicate and true. The author begins
the poem on a high key which is not
lowered until the vivid description is
closed. Here are the first lines:
There's a shade on the lamps of heaven,
And the banner of storm is unfurled
And the clouds by the winds are driven
Across the dark dome of the world.
But soon the pale cheek OF the dawning
Will blush with the kiss of the sun,
And the lips of the fair young morning
Will laugh when the long night is
done"
"An Angels Whisper is characterized
by tenderness of thought, smoothness of
hymn. and beauty and simplicity of eX-
preston. Many a mother will read this
poem with fearful eyes; for it will bring
to mind her own little babe who heard
the rustic of an angels wing respon.
ed to his whisper, and
THE little dreamer dreaming dreams of
love-"
awoke in the arms of Jesus.
There is nothing new under the SUM-
no matter what thoughts we think an
other has thought those thoughts before
but not in the same way. The work of the
poet, therefore, is to get hold of the
thought of the universal heart OF man
and give it back to man in language that
strikes responsive chords in the thrcb-
bling heart of mankind; for THE poet
to the whole wide word belongs"
In the poems before us Mr.. Polk has
done his work well, and these poems
with their fresh thoughts in new aud
appropriate setting are worthy of a wide
circulation. The Author ought to publish
volume of his poems.
! DIR. Lyman Abbott has written series
of essays on the subject of Death and
Immortality. which were published in book
form by The Outlook Company on March
2S. The universe of Gods house This
living In His house are many rooms.
living. In his house are many rooms.
Death is only pushing aside the por-
there and passing from one room to an
other" This is the idea upon which rest