The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1915-07-09
THANAToPsIs.

|
! We of the middle west have been
visited, in recent years, by lecturers
and poets from the other side OF the
water, who have found it profitable
to call attention to the fact that we
have no poetry in this country and
that we are scarcely to be blamed If
we have no proper conception of
poetry. If. then, the lecturer unfolds
to us the fact that he is real poet,
land proves the fact by reciting few
verses of his own, then are We duly
abashed, and prepared to put down a
big sum in cash just for the priyileG =
of looking at some of these visitors and
of hearing them tel, us how we are to
be pitied
In truth, it seems time that the
American awaken to the fact that he
has literature of his own, and that
lit is very respectable one, says the
Burlington Gazette. When the fact is
taken into consideration that In the
short life Of our nation we have been
doing stupendous work along other
lines, those Of us who occasionally
give an hour to such questions, arrive
lat the conclusion that we need not
pity ourselves, nor do we need to be
Ipitied by others. On the contrary.
those people are to be Ditied who come
to us from across the seas and who
lseek to inform and instruct us, and
who have no knowledge of what We
have done in the very fields in which
t they claim to excel.
Une Of the American poets, whom
many Americans do not know, and
whose work Is worthy OF study and OF
frequent rereading is William Cullen
Bryant. He was active during long
period and was one of the country S
most distinguished journalists, as well
as a real poet. Our visitors may new
er have heard of him, and they may
never have read "Thanatopsis," 6
grand poem which Mr.. Bryant wrote N
1911, when but seventeen years OF
age. 1t bears all the signs of mental
maturity and it is indeed noble verse.
There are poets among our visitors.
They must be, for they tell US they are
such. But in their collections Of pub
iished verse we find nothing to. com.
pare with Bryants best work. and we
find in their biographies no mention
of poems written at the age of sew.
enteen which bid fair to prove ,
source OF pleasure and inspiration 10
future generations.
We OF the United States have re-
ceived much good advice in recent
years. as to seeing America first 1t
ought to be equally good advice to
read American books first aud to be.
come thoroughly acquainted with the
best American literature-and there Is
plenty of it-before spending too
much time on mere verse makers OF
other nations.
1t Is claimed by critics that Than
atopsis" is the best poem ever written
by youth of seventeen Non-critics
agree that "Thanatopsis" alone would
have placed Bryant among the real
poets, and they derive never failing
pleasure from reading the noble lines
, After all, is there much that has been
written in the last hundred years.
that is much better than:
. $50 live that when thy summons
, comes to Join
The innumerable caravan which moves
, To that mysterious realm, where eacr
shall take
His chamber in the silent halls o,
T death
, Thou go not, like the quarry-slave a;
, night,
: Scourged to his dungeon. but. sus
tanned and soothed
: By an unfaltering trust, approach tn,
grave
, Like one who wraps the drapery {.
, his couch
About him and lies down to pleasant
, dreams