New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-01-30
RECENT VERSE.
H Dag of Uninspired Thought and
CIeUer Craftsmanship.

SONGS OF DREAMS. BY Ethel Clifford Emo
pp. XII IzS. John Lane.
POEMS. By Josephine Dasbam. l2mo. PIP. viii. g.
Charles scrib,er's Sons.
THE EASTWARD ROAD. By Jeann n tie Bliss GIL
THE DIVINE VISION, AND OTHER POEMS POEMS
Bv A T. Emo. pp l23. The Macmillan Com
pany.
FOR ENGLAND. Poems Written During Is
arrangement BY William Watson limo PIP OIL
John Lane
How well the minor poet writes! He, or she.
IS Enthusiastically literary figure Of slight I'M
pcrtance. offering pretty tinklings and hutngs
20 readers who long to find in the present the
deem and beautiful note of poetry which seems,
alas! to belong exclusively 10 the past Never
theIess. the minor poet OF to-day writes WELL
giving piouant form to engaging fancies turn
ing a line deftly and even. in measure nelo-
siously The interesting thing about books
such as those which are enumerated at the head
of this column is that while they wake no
poignant emotions and leave no lasting impress
sion, they are. turn their pages. COM
panionable enough Miss Clifford is an excellent
representative Of the school. Though she has
nothing naonentous to say, she is not dull and
such mildly interesting thoughts as she has to
communicate she puts before her readers with
a facile and on the whole. accomplished touch.
She shows her limitations, most minor poets
show them. largely in her choice of images.
Here is a passage from a poem called 'Out of
the city:
] would be in the woods.
Where the spears OF rain.
Broken by the innumerable leaves.
Fall 10 the ground like silent tears for the Slain
This is hardly felicitous. But to do Miss
Clifford justice she generally comes nearer TO
the right word. and when she has some idea to
express. touching human experience. but not
zoo deep. she expresses II in plausible figures
and gains a very creditable effect. "A Song Of
Loves Coming is perhaps the best thing in her
book, the best because it is not too ambitious
and in It the diction is enforced throughout. 1t
runs follows:
To some Love comes splendid, and so soon,
Tb nat fbevl Ike sieepsrs Weakened suddenly.
Expecting dawn. are blinded by his noon
To rome Love comes so silently and late
That all unheard he is. and passes by; BY
While they stand watching at another gate
But some know Love at the enchanted hour:
They hear him singing like bro atar'
They see him coming ike a falling star,
They meet his eyes and all their worlds in flower
The polish IN this IS typical. There not
many slips In Miss Cliffords volume like her
Transformation of spears Of rain into tears.
Her leading characteristic is, indeed. that Of an
alert technician
On opening Miss Daskam's book ones first
reflection is that she would do well to profit by
her English contemporaries example. Mother
hood" which has the place of honor. would
have gained greatly by comparison. The solemn
theme needs a deeper intensity. a style closer
knit and more severe, more elevated. for its
proper exploitation. But the poem commands
respect a serious effort and the book is
sraversed from cover to cover it is made plain
that the author can. On occasion, give a better
account of herself than she gives in her open
ing poem. 1t does not matter that her style
now and again seems purely derivative-a style
strongly suggesting that Of the late William
Ernest Henley. All minor poets have this echo
ing way with them. The main point is that in
a happy moment Miss Daskam will write you
an appealing little lyric, equally appealing IN
sentiment and in form. This gives, well
any other composition in the book the measure
OF her talent at its best: