Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-05-26
EPIC POEM FROM
HANDS0F UTAH MAN
Francis Everard Roche the
Author-TitIe is "The
Exodus"
DEALS WITH HUMAN LIBERTY,
Work Contains Twelve Books and
shows Decline, Loss and Final Res.
toration--Labors OF 20 Years.

Another remarkable epic poem has
appeared from the hands OF Utah
man, Francis Everard Roche being the
author The poem Is entitled The
Exodus, an Epic on Liberty" and con-
talns ~ books. The theme deals with
| the decline, loss and final restoration
OF human liberty, beginning with the
lsraelltish bondage IN Egypt, and pic
turing the great exodus as the restor-
alton Of the primal gift Of liberty with
| which God had endowed His children
| The first book opens with an Invocation
to epic verse and to the Dispenser Of
all gifts. and then portrays the Cod
head in council concerning the griey-
Gus condition Of the human race In con.
sequence of their loss OF Liberty. God
invokes His Son TO bring about the res
toration of this great gift In pursu-
ance OF this Gabriel is sent with a mes-
sage TO Moses, instructing him in tie
nature and mission Of Liberty, and also
aid in securing the liberation of his peo-
pie, In that event the author sees the
permanent restoration OF liberty, and
On II the paving of the way for Chrlst's
great scheme OF redemption. The deat
and verse throughout the book are no.
Bile and exalted, and give evidence of
the high gift Of Imagination In the writ
err. The part especially In which Ga.
briel in his fight through space to earth
watches the orb turning on It's axis and
revealing spots pregnant with the
worlds great scenes and epoChs of
history Is noteworthy. Noticing on
the globe as It revoves, the absence II
the tabled Atlantis, the angel reflects
on the causes of human suffering
struggle and punishment throughout
the ages, and especially Of the destruc-
ton of Atlantis itself, The view Of
America leads to cOmnunings on Is
destiny and the part to be played on
this continent IN the great cause OF
liberty. Each book in turn takes up
the theme of deliverance, interrupted
with lofty flights Of descriptive verse
dealing with scenes, incidents and
characters introduced In the story, the
whole being highly poetic. II criticism
can be made of so difficult and wor-
thily wrought a theme, II would be in
the way of regret that the author hal
followed So closely the form, style and
methods Of former classical efforts, and
had not rather branched into some
newer and less formal style of present
Ing his thought. The genius OF liberty
Is freedom from set standards. and MI.
Roche's truly inspired muse might APP
proprIatcly have taken on new form to
the enlargement of its worth. How
ever, one does not let this lack shadow
appreciation of It's excellence as a
whole, and It Is this which Will win in
evItabe aurels for the poet. The book
is published by the Richard Badger
company Of Boston.
WORK OF TWENTY YEARS.
The author is now living in Corlnne,
and has lived 30 years In Utah, most Of
the time In Salt Lake. He has spent
20 years on the completion Of his poem.
The following lines are selected from
the closing book In which Pharoah,
sore beset by the plaques and judy
ments Transporting through his opposi-
ton to Gods viii, yields finally to the
omnlpotent decree;
Detected and In darkness Pharaoh
Dissolved in tears and altered In his
mood.
with earnest voice, by his dark woes
oppressed,
lie thus the chiefs of Israel now ad-
dressed:
Go, Mosul serve the Lord as thou hast
said,
No more thwart Jehovah, Great and
Dread,
Nv people too In thy dismissal share
No longer we the wrath of heaven can
bear,
As spoken in thy Gods severe COM
mand,
| yield thee all thou olaimest In this
land,
Thy little ones. the hords, whate'er Is
thine
Remove. but be thy parting blessing
mine"
He ceased, submission to the Lord
complete.
And thus In parting, Mosus words
entreat.
"Meneptahl now deem thy mood sim
Cere
Nor longer I thy changeful purpose
fear.
Equal we part, sojourners Of thy land,
Now called 10 Freedom by our Gods
command.
Beware, lest evil counsel e'er prevail
To change the penitence which now
you feel,
Dark was thy lot in conflict with the
Lord,
And dark thy country mourns His
sighted word,
Yet darker still thy future fate shall be
And more oppressed with Ills thy SOW
erelgnty
II e'er rebellious and thy words fore
sworn,
Thou should'st again Jehovahs man
date sCorn,
Overwhelmed and last thy destiny
shall be,
Thyself and all proud Egypt's chivalry,
\ lesson given 70 every future age
For those who plumber mans free her.
itagel"