The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1913-01-07

poe whom we can No longer afford
to neglect. Whether his verses ap-
peal to our taste or not, we must
admit tina he has become one OF the
truly significant voices in our con-
temporary poetry. The human
Fantasy" which appeared over a
year ago., gave Mr.. Wheelock q repu-
ond book, THE Beloved Adventure
will increase that reputation.
l do not believe hat Mr.. Wheelock
will ever be a best-sel1er. And when
I make this statement I am not cast
ing any reflections either upon the
merit Of his work or upon the taste
Of the American people. h fact
nearly so popular as L~ongfellow Ger
tainly does o prove either that
Whitman is inferior to Longfellow or
that the public is vulgar and I'M
discriminating for preferring Evan
geline" to Leaves Of Grass" A fond
morbid and the pathological, and an
indifference to melody may be all
right in poetry, out the appeal of
such characteristics will he to the
sympathetic few rather than to a
large public.
With the exceptions of Emerson
and the late George a Lodge, I
doubt whether we ave had any poets
so subtle as Mr.. WheelOck. What Ia
he talking about in Youth? TO get
his exact shade of meaning win, I
think. require more delving than the
average reader is wi ling to do.
Once into my chamber broke a silent
figure,
T1-1, 1-~L 49, -
mine:
Patient were the lips, it barred me to
the spear-Wound,
Counted all it's scars over. one by
one.
Christ-like was the face. the eyes
were like a demons,
Deep within them burned all my
ancient lust
Then I knew twas he, my Youth,
that / had murdered:
I it was who put the spear into
his side.
Equally subtle Cor abstruse or recon
dlte or whatever o wish
to al it) is a poem which Mr.. Wheel
ock gives the title, The Wages OF
Sin Is Death"
I have sown tares and been the
harvester
OF plenteous grain with sickle and
with knife:
Lo, I sinned and for my wages
were
Not bitter death, but everlasting
life.
At night, rebellious and in bitterness
With q small heart I plotted evi
things.
His dawn for a renroach IF tenderras
Lightened me with the wonder O.
her wings.
I sought the evil and / found tn.
good.
prayed for lust and I was give1
And when I cursed Him in a sullez
mood
He sent His stars upon me from
above.
. For him who is willing to enter int,
, the spirit OF these verses they contail
. something well worth While; but tn,
{ average type OF mentality demand
: something obvious more tan
gible.
And it is the exceptional min,
rather than the normal mind that viii
q IND delight in StanZaS SO suggestive
: OF the morbid as these:
D In the pain, in the loneliness Of love
TIC the e. of my sweet l fled.
l knocked at the door of her ivin
r heart
Let in let in" / said.
They opened the doc Of her hvin
heart,
But the core thereof was dead.
They opened the core Of her livin
heart
e A worm at the core there fed.
To continue the subject along tn
Is same line, I would invite your after
ton to a few stanzas of Mr.. Wheel
ocks remarkable poem, ITO No. 4.
e Who Declared He Was the Christ:
riot
It Fade di,nly off like murmurine
half aloud.
Through the barred windows tn
long shadows crowd.
"a In the asylum alcove here deep orie
e Hangs like q heavv cloud.
n Your head. face downward. in the be
lies Sunken,
U~--