Evening journal., 1920-04-27
BEAUTY FREE
VERSE SCORED
Strange, Melancholy Writ
ings Give Social Lead
erS New Interest
SHOCKS COME
TO MANY READERS

~ WAN | READERO
N. z. A Stafr Special.
KEW YORK. April "a.
$50 The roots Of my soul
FLOATING among depressions mega
tive.
80 the blooms OF my will
swinging dead I'm a bondage OF
sighs."
That's the way Americas most
beautiful woman" Mrs. Leonard NJ.
Thomas, used to talk in her poetry.
1t has just been learned that Mrs.
Thomas and her husband were d.
yorccd In Paris months ago.
Society leaders OF Newport phia-
delphla and New York have thereby a
new interest IN life They have
pouneed upon Mrs. Thomas weird
free verse, much OF Il melancholy.
seeking something that they may con-
meet with the wreck OF the Thomases
married life.
Mrs; Thomas is back in New York
with her two children.
Paul Helleu, French artist called
Mrs. Thomas, who was once Miss
lNanche May Oelrichs. 1.-THE most
beautiful woman in America" She
was a leader Of Newport and phila-
delphia society.
But all the time she led coiillions
and talked with folks whose CONVEX
satlOn never strays far from The dance
ana the shortage OF. liquor. she was
hiding a terrific secret.
Mrs. Thomas was an auihoressi
Free Nersers who proudly imagin-
ed themselves "frce" gave The CrOix
de License with palm TO Mrs. Thomas
Tor her freedom. Her. creations are
among the most meterless and rhyme
less yet produced.
she calls an apple a "green-vined
SNOWFALL and as for the wind, she
says:
"Oh that the wind might sink into
the distance Of my depth disturbing
IFS terrible tranquilityW
Her book, Poems was published
by BrenianO's under the name OF
Michael Strange" and % was "A long
time before her Newport neighbors
discovered it
II shocked them. some say. 20 find
that their beautiful leader had for
gotten herself' so FAR 60 write free
verse.
ANWNN" NlfN NNMNE IANlMlIlEu NINf INMh
and are trying TO find a connection
between the verses and the wreck OF
her married life.
Once she wrote
You cannot like me
knowing not that 7 smell
"Of the moon the sea !"
Here's a fragment that might puzzle
even and expert eighth grader OF the
phrasing class:
yet behind them leaving a soul frac-
tured certainly
From collision with double tombs." d"
Somebody callcd this "a charming
orchard ldyll:
Apples
"Laequered in Chinese green, shin
Like a wlnd-blown check
/ Apples
"sayoring in their juice, their fra
GRANGE
"Of entire orchards.
"They lasting OF stiff rose-colored
petals
"Narnished in moon dew,
"Iridescent of the sun.
"Thcy tasting the autumnal earth.
] ENANA EAINNANNAA NiNA WAANA NNNWA JUS
frost the aroma
"Of Harvest and Death
Apples
"Green-vined snowhalls appeasing
Both hunger and thirst
Apples
"sa5oring in their juice their fra
GRANGE
"Of entire orchards"
"Michael's" Soliloquy
While here we have the opinion Of
"NIichael Strange" Mrs. Thomas pen
name, you recall Of himself
81 am young youngi
"And you all hate me for IL.
Entering your confines
81 convulse them.
Being all too lusty
"For your drOWsy conversations.
81 swapping up the shades
Across your blear blind eyes,
"I singeing your brains
with the star lit air,
"And YOU, garret dwcllers
"Dreading me like IRE,
"perceiving in my force
your eXlinguishing cap.
"Yet how sad how sad
"You cannot like me.
knowing not that / smell
"Of the moOnl the seal
( "NOt that my hair
as woven Of tomorrow's flowers,
"And my feet
IN the stirrup Of sunrise itself
mol you cannot see
MY dancing futurity'
, "FOr / am young, young,
"And you an hate me for it,