The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-01-14
RICHMOND POET S.
BY Mary Washington.
No. 2.

Mr.. Inniy Randolph. OF Richmond, Is
tho author OF several poems, showing
bright fancy, as we'll as vein OF keen
wit Ho is perhaps best known an the
author Of the poem entitled, Pm Good
Old Rebel" written during the first bit
terncss of feeling. Immediately after the
Civil War. but the llnes on the lnaugu-
ration OF John Marshalls statue on tn
Capitol Suqnre at Richmond arc finer.
This was during tho reconstruction pc
Rod when Virginia was labelled dis
trict No. J."
CHIEF JUSTICE MARSHALL ON T,HE
STAND.
we are glad to SEQ you, John Marshall,
my boy,
So fresh from tho chisel OF Rogers.
So take your stand on the monument
Along with the other old codgers.
with washington. Jefferson. Mason and
such,
who survived with great transgres-
sion,
In the old-fashioned notions OF freedom
And their habit of wrong and opprss-
sion.
But you've come rather late to your
pedestal. John;
Things are much changed since you've
been here,
Fog the volume you hold Is no longer
the law,
and this is no longer Virginia.
The old Marshall law you expounded Of
yore,
Is no longer at ali to the purpose.
tai Il W n IL
gadier
Ia stronger than "habeas corpus"
So shut up tho volumes you hold with
such caro-,
For the days OF tho law are over,
And It needs all your brass to be holding
II there,
With "tustice'' inscribed on the cover.
Could life awaken those limbs OF bronze
And blaze in the FURNISHED eye.
what would yc do with with a moment
OF life.
would ye ch,de US. or pity us7 Blush or
weep
Ye men of tho days gone by7
Would Jefferson tear up the scroll ne
holds
That time has proven lie?
Would Marshall shut up ths volume Oh
And lay 1t down with a sigh?
would Mason roll up the Bill of Rights
From a nation unworthy to scan ~!
would Henry dash down the pae''oe
sword.
And clang 1t against the granitef
And washington. seated In massive
o, s hIs Charger that paws the air;
could he see his sons in their deep as
would he ride SO proudly thsre'
No would get him down from his DIE
"a over his face with shame.
For the land Of his birth Is now Dis
trict One
Virginia was once the name.
Amelia Rives may be classed WIN 'h a's
Richmond poets. for she was oo ~
that city on August, 1858, anu ne, n
pichmond woman. the beaut1iul
Miss sarah McMurdo, granddaughter "a
pishon Charming Moore, whose memory
ia s,ill highly revived by the Oldest IN
t,hit,nta of Richmond. On the other
eide OF the house, amelia Rives IL the
granddaughter of William 9. RiVes. the
congressman, senator and munster pien,.
potontiary to France during the first hail
of the nineteenth century. he was d
man OF marked literary talent. ana was
the author OF Life Of John Hampton,
ethics of Christianity, and "Ihe LIE
and Times OF Madison" valuable Worh
In three volumes, but which the author
- II
first printed poem of Amelie Rives was
n very firm sonnet, I'm Two Woods, "
which appeared in THE Century. Her
next poem to appear was Grief and
Faith,' in which there is a ring of deep
and passionate feeling. She has written
two dramas in verse, "Athelwold." and
.'Herod and Mariannine." The latter is a
very powerful production. She has also
written poem entitled, "Asnodens,
and considerable number OF detached
lyrical poems. She has Just broken a
long silence by issuing a new poem,
"Selene," In which the theme ia the love
of Diana (selene) for Endymion. critic
says. .'her delineation Of the naughty
goddess whose alteration for mortal
man destroys her pride and power, yet
whose love Is so passionately enthralling
that she welcomes the hurniliations of
her high estate. is full OF human charm
and exquisite emotion"
BY straining a point. we might class
Captain William Gordon McCabe amongst
the poets of Richmond, as he has made
his residence In that city for good
many years past, and Is at all events.
native of Virginia, If not Of Richmond.
Poetry. however. has been only by
path OCCASIONALLY trodden by him. He is
best known. believe. as an educator
of Young mon this having been his prin-
ciple life work I subjoin some charm
ing verses written by Captain Mccabe
during the Civil War, and sent to a
young lady, together with some little
poems copied from the works OF
Camoens, the CELEBRATED Portuguese poet.