The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-06-08
Three New Varied
Books of Verse
John G. NEIHARDT has given US q

tragic Saga-that may be read aloud with
nnfagging interest. This rare feat has
been accomplished in The Song of Three
Friends. although it is offered in the fire.
quently monotonous form of chroriambic
couplets. 1t is not only the story Of three
men that we follow, but great national
adventure, the first in a cycle of poems
dealing with the fur trading days of the
transmissouri region. The second part
of this series appeared In 1915-The Song
Of Hugh GldsS-a poem great in theme
and treatment. Mr.. Neihardt has both the
backward and the forward vision Of the
true poet and is richly literate, as we see
IN the fine foreword to this volume as well
as In the easy allusiveness of his verse.
People have been educated away from
rather than trained to the appreciation Of
the Epic. There is of course a great
American Epic in the vast region between
the Missouri and the Pacific in the first
half of the nineteenth century, but this
poem, while taking the form of an epic, is
really tragical episode closely associated
with that great Epic. Such poems as
these Of Mr.. Eeihardt's will increase in
value not only by their appeal to historic
appreciation, but for their intrinsic merit.
The interrelations of the three friends
chosen from the Ashley Henry group of
100 are set against a strong and vivid
background to make the tale.
"For little span
Their ife-fres fared like torches in the van
OF Westward progress, ere the great wind
woke
10 snuff them"
But now their boats are hulks that have
Found the harbor ways that know
The ships of all the Sagas long ago,
A moony haven where no loud gale stirs.
The trappers and the singing roydgeurs
Are comrades now Of Jason and his crew,
Foregathered in that timeless rendezvous
Where come at last all seekers Of the
Fleece"
Sad as it is to see the fine work of
young poet cut short it is sadder still
when only indication of probable achieve
ment has been left. james Fenimore
Cooper, Jr, great grandson and namesake
of the novelist, died at Camp Dix year
ago leaving Us in Afterglor, number Of
poems and single essay on Religion, the
promise Of what he might have done as
well as an admirable record Of brief ac-
eomplishment. Prof. Henry Beers Of
Yale University has appended a brief
sketch of Mr.. Cooper's life at Yale and
discussion of his literary qualities. "This
Is Of the nature Of memorial volume
whose contents derive a pathos from the
authors early and heroic DEATH" he
writes, 'but no indulgence is asked on
that account" Such circumstances, how
ever, inevitably contribute an interest
which is now tragically common. From
many passages which might be offered as
illustrative of the authors Thoughtful
manner, we quote q few lines Of The
Shddow, description Of struggling man
kind:
"As when an evening traveller winds his
way
Through dreary Businesses, yet presses
down
And views the valleys yellow with the
sun;
He treads the shadow Of the peaks long
won,
And turns, confused, to face again the
frown
OF rocks, which still cut off The light Of
day."
Laurence Housman's new volume Of
poems, The Heart Of Peace, Is on tho
whole disappointment, though it contains
some real beauty. It seems unfortunate