, 1922-09-11


The publication OF "Intermountain
Folk. Songs of Their Days and Ways"
has added n deeper and wider interest
In the author f. Richard Ship. to
that already aroused by the publica-
ton in the newspapers. from time to
time Of gems from the pen OF his
gifted wy ,mlns Poet
Wyoming has hid prose Spokesman
in fair numbair and iiany OF high quail
.ity. hut never a representative poet.
until Mr.. Shipp came. TO tell In
rhyme OF the wide spaces. towering
grandeur. magnificent wastes. insp,r-
ing sunrises. the perfume Of flowers.
the tragedies and heroisa Of the peo-
pie. all with wonderfully accurate in
sight and with powerfuleor delicate
depletion suited to the theme.
Had the eyes of Il chard Ship first
opened upon the scenes he so charm
lngly describes. had his generations
lived always amid the hills and valleys
Of his loved Wyoming, had h tales
he tells. the incidents he describes.
tho wonders OF nature he embell,shes
with words. come not from his own
knowledge and observation. but puri-
fled in legends OF the years. environ
ment and Inheritance couN have add
ed nothing to his powers OF vision or
truthfulness Of translation.
Richard Ship is truly representa-
tive Of Wyoming. Big and breed.
With a soul ttune to the beaut es
and music of nature in a setting
where this great,creative agency dis
plays her most sublime achievements.
Wyoming a long had pride in her
gifted son and win doubtless make
due public acknowledgment OF his lit
erary Importance by Appointment as
poet laureate. in which act the writer's
OF the state and the readers in the
home. and the lovers of books will all
approve with hearty accord.
William Stanley Braithwaite. &C,
knowledged premier American liter.
airy critic. under whose hand passes,
perhaps more Of the high class works
Of prose and poetry. written in this
country. than that of any other re.
viewer, has written an exhaustive
criticism OF 'Intermountain Folk"
Among other things Mr.. Braithwaite
says: II have haG the pleasure of read.
ing "Intermountafn Folio; Songs of
Their Days and Ways and I am
deeply impressed with its qualities Of
vision and music. a lover of nature
Judge Shipp has given to her brush as
he paints the Wyoming landscape, a
richness OF coloring, and a scale Of
majesty, which make his particular
intermountain state n wonderland of
beauty. 1t is indeed, as Judge Shipp
sings, and not only sings, but makes
us see who have never been in Wyo-
ming, The Land God Blest.'
Centuries ago. God built the west
Laid its foundations with a Master
Hand,
Raised its massive framework
from the sand.
Drew crystal streams from out the
Mountains breast.
Then careless'= vet with an artists
Placed he trees and sage, each
ripping rill.
Each rock and stone, ZACH valley
and hill,
Then canopied them with the bluest
skies.
Made bold. hand-painted canyons, deep
and wild,
Where racing streams. with must
a sound. q
Flash and dance in glee on the
rock-strewn ground, b
And Natures garments are pure.un
defiled.
It's Natures wonderland, perforct
you'll say,
Where deep n ~soundless silence.
inspire.
Where the sun goes down in a
flaming fire,
As the evening grows cool and
sweet and gray.
only a poet with a very high de
gree of power to visualize the mir
acles of Nature, can make the distan.
reader see, in color. in form and mo
ton. in SOUND and silence, the stu
pendous mysteries of Nature, mani
tested in the symbols OF the written
word. Judge Ship is such a poei
with these rare gifts. and I for one
can say that he has brought to ms
here at my flat door of the Atlantic
ocean. the distant marvels of bounte
Gus Wyoming. Wyoming ought to be
proud OF such a son, whose SOU is
heaven.kissed with the magic of Wis
ion."
After commenting in most flatter
ing terms on the various sections in
the books arrangement and Analysing
outstanding individual poems, Mr.
Braithwaite concludes with these
words:
Il have written at great length
though feel what | have said has in
adequately cXurcssed the high uptniou