The labor world., 1922-04-08
JOHN FRANCIS @YNN !:
PRISON POET, IS IN TOWN
Will Appear in Person at Zelda
Theater W!lth:dhe Prison
Film. ''1he$RIgllt Way

A IeW mOntnSs ago the PRISON gates
at Saltwater swung outward and a
man stepped through them to a
hardWon freedom. '.-
That man is John Francis Glynn,
author of a book of verse-"Songs
from the Silence"-and editor Of a
paper, called '"TheaConvict.''
Mr.. Glynn will lecture at the Zelda
theater just before Thomas, Matt
Osborne's priso.l> film-'"The. Right
Way" is thrown on the screen.
The film will run for one week,
beginning Saturday-on this day Mr..
Glynn will speak on "The Crucifixion
Of our Boys" %.:r
While absent from the theater,
Mr.. Glynn hopes to be given the op-
portunity of speaking to the many
club women and religious organiza-
ttions Of Duluth.
Under the pen name of Apache"
John Francis Glynn conducted a
double column in the Prison Mirror
His verse and paragraphs won favor,
and were reprinted in virtually every
newspaper in the state.
Doctor Burton's introduction to
Glynn's book is worthy of reprint:
Introduction
Less than two months after the
author was set free from the prison
at saltwater. Minnesota, I met him
and he put his poems into my hands.
Reading them, I had O poignant
sense of beauty and pathos;' the
beauty that is song, the pathos! of
human Fate. I felt like one who
finds a flower, dewy> and fragrant.
beside dusty road. The wind blow
eth where: it listeth. There are lyrics
in this book. SO truly. lovely so un-
feignedly simple and sincere, will,
such an Infectious lilt and shine of
color, that ones. heart nl'elts before
them. I.mean such things as Unfet-
tered. Rose Petals, Song, Rube
Robin, Dust Sanctuary, and others
yet,-bits Of enhancing melody;
| thrusts into the deeps of living. They
| have the unmistakable- ring. the
lyric cry'' that makes music in the
ear, and goes to the universal heart
| OF man. The voice is so authentic,
the vision often so spiritual In its
| honelv, disarming way, that it mat
ters little if there be an occasional
stammer in the utterance: 1 almost
| think it adds to the charm.
And so I wish the book the good
luck it deserves, and predict. that
many will be grateful for this gift.
That it comes out of a prison cell,
tlends wistful quality to its note:
! But that appeal, save as it begets a
| sympathetic mood to receive the
| message. is, not to be overstressed.
Mr.. Glynn's work can stand on its
own merit; and it will. -.,.
1t is not given to ever convict the
facult Of creating his own ,inviron-
ment, and that is why Mr.. Glynn's
Little Cell O. Dreams holds such
Little Cell O. Dreams
o little cell of six by ten,
I You're as a shrine to me,
I take my place in ranks of men
AS the guard turns. the key.
The magic of my YESTERDAYS
Through tie bars nightly streams
You watt me to boyhood white,
o little cell o. dreams.
| O little cell where visions rise
And fairies hold full sway,
Bringing new splendor to the eyes
That knew: but, fear all day:
think God must count you part
OF .Love-You hold its beams. -
You are my :solace through the
night,
|. o little cell o.. dreams.
The Labor World wishes success
to this "Peddler, Of Dreams. now
among us; for he is working for a
tribe that has been long misunder-
stood