The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-02-24

IOnQ or reddlnB IS Belicfdlly puEe-Alllueu
enough"
Mrs. Edith Wharton's new book, Ma
dame de Treymes." viii be published this
month in book form, with illustrations
in color by Alonzo Kimball. In this new
story. Mrs. Wharton shows in striking
way the contrast between the French and
American views OF family relations. The
book is a keen analysis OF the question
of international marriage.
Wilbur d Ncsbit, the humorlst and
poet, has issued another volume. a Book
Of Poems" through re Bowman Pub
fishing Co. OF Evanston. III. In this he
has caught up some of the best of his
fugitive verse from the daily newspapers.
among Others The Washington Herald.
It makes volume of minor poetry that
viii compare very favorably with the
output of any bur the poets of large rep
utation. More and more Mr.. Nesbit es-
pecially in his child poems, seems
20 be app-oXimating the style Of his
friend. James WhitcOmb Riley, the Hoo
sier poet. who has always found kind
words TO say for Mr.. Nesbits verse. The
opening poem. when Little Children
Sing, is distinctly in the Riley manner.
Here is one. perhaps the most typical,
verse:
The child knows an the songs Of earth
And eacl s0ug has its tone of ninth
The child hears all the ham0nies
OF mstbltg grasses and windsgept trees;
The chanting. humming girl OF boy
Knows all the worlds Gin strain % joy.
And bt by BIT
The childs9ng holds and echoes 1t.
Child dialect ne uses. too. as freely. but
perhaps not quite 50 spontaneously. nor
indeed, so COnvincingiy as Mr.. Riley does
Here, for instance, is a verse from Pore
Folks
We're pee foIks-porest on tn street
An ] don't have 90 wash nv face.
Unlcss ia does 81. uCr my feet
Ncr hat % stay in Jest one place.
You bet when 7 grow up IN say
To mv boss. Hustle OIt an lind
Whole heaps o. boys 10 come an play
Don't get none blt tn porest kind,
Il is obvious here that this is hardly
true dialect. even of the genuine boy who
does not s-op TO pronounce all his words:
Poor, for instance. sounds just the
same. whether you spell it properly. or
pore and the same IS true colloqulally,
at least, Of "haf to- for "havc to- In
short. ia seems that much OF Mr. Nesbits
page; dialect to the eye, rather than 20
the mind.
When he writes about children. rather
than essays 10 speak for them. Mr.. Mes
bit meets with much greater success.
Here he strikes notes Of deep feeling and
writes with true insight voicing the
thoughts-which is the true poets fuuc-
tion-that have come 30 many of us. The
following, taken from a poem called
Child Visions" must appeal for the sake
OF its verify. if FOR nothing else, 10 any
one who has been blessed by knowing a
real child:
What do Et;Io children find
When they NhJiy draw apart
Ou the path the Older mind
Mas not trace with al ITS aTtg
Dimplcd hard On dimuled check.
Eyes v0ndrUds vision vide
Do the little aauis then seek
Places that our ilus years hide.
What i1 httl0 children find
When their cgcs look far and far.
Who q MS has set disusd
Who're the thoughts Of children are?
In his purely humorous verse. Mr.. Mes
bits notes are true and pleasing, and
the quality of his humor is not strained
Some of his poems are tinged with deep
feeling, and some with a philoS-
ophy that will appeal TO many men. But
after all, his serious poems are his best
and IL any OF the verses in this book
have a chance of life. it is those in which
the poet strikes the higher. clearer. purer
note. And thinking Of this. one is glad to
take Mr.. Nesbits advice. the more that
il gives a fair sample Of the poet in his
more serious mood. His advice IS, Speak
the Coco Word:
The pitt is that when one peers
At minor faults with critics eyes
He blends his Judgment with his iceTs
Aud eft the vision magnifes.
There l5 some g0od. But look as well
90 Fer u as SON 40 Tor the had
And praise u. Thus you work a spell
That no deep mystic ever had.
Speak the good word.
Sucak tho god wor3-tllo word that gives
The urse- impulse and the hope;
Tie word that helFs. and grows. and lives
light % them that bIindiy srope
Through all the darkness II despair.
They know their faults and know them well:
OF ccnaUiuEs they have their share
The kind words are the ones that tell
speak the good word.
And, having spoken e. we will leave Mr.
NeSbit's Book Of Poems TO the verdict
n the public