The Washington herald., 1907-06-16

hN.4h tL4iihIl, having llileG tle F-ti lLiH
tie, may now perceive-cvCu though 1t go
TO church and he the father Of q family
that behind the apparent mystery is
something 10 verse ike this that appeals
70 the human soul OF such sort is the
poem
POISON.
In a arrcn-dusEy bower
ITO forget vacant hour,
Hrc.l71Ue beings am in arm
Celebrate narcotic charm.
Tircs calls: Cone nar. ..-
Tell what poison yr1 hEc t-'
Whru1t with -rrI laughing r.rr
They fash forth their quick replies
Nuan shouts uiE Tra-lr rga.
Wine is had enough f-r M"
Dams sg's- There's U1 wine y.t
Worth a dr-lmf cigarette"
E-H .sraI- Toto. scarlet uirv
Il adore these rs.rI mixed 5rHf
Cruur-Tt. with q -rimac1 gr.r
>Ig,is aE.riHu t5 b.-- beer.
Hr r-- lurH--s SIS r-lrrs
-rn -tr-lr1tee
E.. ..-. l.Hs OIL. tfhp. We
Make f... ~ 5eiHsur t-7.'
'H..rs vows. 'Elr l.a' delights
Como With ..-r-. 5--r-p.-d nights
Au.r-e muuagrr. 81 desire
NaHeht but a,emthes r--a r-a fire."
Tlu cries al 'Ha u.r..r- creE.
'--.rH~rr... what SD. v.r.'
fHf 'lar Hr-htsr Suddenly
Shaken .--.1 1rH fear Hhru he
Saws H..- E--. HagIE lial.
"tHe-ls Uv ulisu is mr soul"
Not pleasant. cf course. but 70 draws "a
picture ana II points "A moral that they
who run may read
Pathos and tragedy is tho keynote Of
all these poems ard for sheer pathus.
realistic and yet beautiful psth1s. there is
np stronger poem On the volume than "A
Girl" It begins
This yong c.rl-ttis Girl i= dead:
from the .isht and nu..r fed.
Into darkness and s-iI sare.
Cover o.rT -tr strange white face
Orrr llr laughter starred tEr night
Now Der l4g-atcrs taken Hi-h,.
II would be unfair % tie poet 60 quote
more, but the poem IS as w-u worth
reading for its beautiful thought as
Hoods Bridge Of Signs" and teehui-
CaIly it is as excellent
These poems seem to show the world
as n great carnival where pleasure is the
chief end. where cares are drowned I'm
love. in wine IN laughter, but thc veneer
Is so thin that underneath YOU can sec
the souls that Writhe iH pain and you
hear the waiIing cry Of men and women
for the real things Of earth and heaven.
Ard sT,r7waying puppets turn.
IN gusts that fan their ,ga- Q.s--e.
Their eager feet would seem q. tire
The notes that throb, che LAMPS that burn
The during music-sveeriug bars,
OF MANY q singing violin
Quirkens their blood with hint % sin;
They-heedess of the far white stars
But one turns suddenly aside
And lonely stands and leans ~ bark.
Where f1am-vrgarhcd fleeing in the dark,
Tluadcrs the everlasting tide
And as 70 every true man must come
the vision Of the iron that Is eating into
the soul Of poor Pierrot; the pain behind
the mask. SO does Mr.. Underwood voice
the vision over Pierrot dead.
And the little wasted line
That droops his cheek along
You shall know il for a sign
That ne died Of laughter's wrong
The wind sirhs in the door
Where he lies. who're he lies
With his rand droriEs hands
And his weary shldsv'j errs,
That shall never UIen more
Aie-e-e. pierrot,
These are the Masks" of which the
volume Of poems IS made; the masks Of
carelessness. and dance, and song. that
hide from the unthinkng world the pains
beneath Only once. it seems. does the
poet drop the mask for a moment and
let you see the utter WEAKNESS and drear-
mess Of what lies beneath. This Is in the
poem called Children Of the Night
Let us go hence. the sacred night is past
The stars grow dim and fade away at last;
Far Ger the earth the brooding shadows fee
Dawns breath is On the SEA
Let us go hence with all the nights that were.
I The vast expeCtant waters thrill and stir
/ In passionate JOY OF morning strong and free
The morning that is not for you and me.
/ Deep in the caverns Of the mountain side
4 Where fee the shadows host. shall We abide
Our wearied brows SO sick with memories,
| Bowed down upon our knees.
/ Let rs go hence our JOY is overcast.
/ The pallid peace Of night i7 Ger az last;
/ Par in the depths with shadows We must fee,
Dawns breath is on the sea.
/ Standing by themselves. these poems
are worthy Of the attention OF lovers Of
/ literature. The thought behind the verses
/ is stimulating TO thought in those we
| read. and the melody Of many Of them
/ Is haunting in its sadness. The technical
! excellence Of them is also worthy Of
| high praise and II is evident that he who
wrote them loves his work But perhaps
| this little book finds its greatest appeal
/ in the wide promise it offers Of what the
| poet still may do. The mood Of this book
may be outgrown; viii be, inevitably, and
with the same feeling for the simpler
/ things Of life should come poems OF great
power and universal appeal