Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-12-16
vERsE-MAK1Nc IN TRENCHES

Great Love and Great Hate as Spontaneously
Expressed in War Poems From the Front
T7HE fervor of lofty song" has always
i famed above the smoke of battle fields and
now burns anew, says writer in whose
article in the Paris Figaro the Literary
Digest has found some interesting and sug-
gestive facts. lie calls attention to poems
by Rostand, zamacois and other notable
poets contributed to the columns of that
journal Yet it is still more striking that
great quantity of verse comes to the Figaro
day after day from soldiers nurses and gem
eral workers at various points along the
front. 1t is admitted that in these efforts the
expression does not always measure up to
the subject. Yet IL, as La Bruyere says,
the writing of book is trade in itself"
SO also, according to the present writer, it
is trade in itself ito cry out one's sorrow
and ones joy in the language Of Apollo, to
drape with harmonious phrase and winged
phrase ones hate and ones love" The souls
of these poets in action, he explains are
overwhelmed with emotion and their minds
confronted with such mighty happenings that
they are too strained to conceive of them
Justly. spontaneously as patriotic songs
spring to the lips Of soldiers on the march,
poetry flows from the pen Of every French
man who tries to express what he feels in
the present circumstances. Simplicity and
sincerity, consequently, are the chief char
acteTlstles of this verse from the trenches,
and 1t would SEEM the writer tells us, that
France is finding its youth again and can
understand only two essential passions-great
hate and great love" We read then;
Love is the subject Of all these new poets;
love for wounded France. for her ruined
monuments for her imperled traditions, love
for her sons that have died and for those
who are about 10 die. And hate as we'll
hate for the barbarians who brought these
woes upon her Yet their love is born OF this
hate. Take this passage, Tor example.
from poem written by Maurice Leeoeur,
sergeant in the ssth Regiment, on the evening
OF the battle OF Islettes;
so the Prussians passed through here?-
What wake OF carnage, ruin and OF hatel
Lo Yandal and the cimbrian live again
And walloW In their ancient sorry mire
Ye savages OF gun and she'll
Ye eurst assassins in land despoied-
The blood We shed shall ever stain your
Less redolent Of anathema but equally in
formed with martial spirit. is the picture
presented by Lieutenant Jacob, OF the l41st
Infantry Of troop movement. He writes
Comes the order TO advance, and the squads de-
plOying vide
seek the foe on every side;
Bold but slowly gainst the chance Of the warn-
ing sound that his
The Air with whisper a. It killa.
Prince Charles Of Bourbon Is responsible
for a poem 10 the memory OF a private.
Voituret. who achieved fame in the battle Of
the AIsrne selection from Il follows;
arhe River Marne aows red today and will stun
rsdder dow
For see where singly Noitufet has stretched
ak foemen toW.
me lion Ashtng Tor its prey. the hsrcsF grows
u triulphs show
crash of sheli--NoituFefs day fate turns .
nisht-Eo brave men go
Other poems cited ~ the Figaro writer pay
homage 70 the dead On The aeld of homer ana
not a sew are tributes 70 heroic beigium.1
We read. for inatancei
what q loar rights Qf ireatle4f
Ihe taushaF oefnan word
stand as d ~. as nake - Nes
Calmly rIHH1F Belgium Haara
fHEat . ny ao4i ana aoncI
ata1la1t HeF FfHl
aa lha etc vt Hft -