The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1923-03-02

POET SINGS TO
WORLD IN Cell
0utburSts Of Life Convict in
Pennsylvania State Prison
Win Praise of Critics.
TELLS STORY OF HIS LIFE
Verses Are Likened in Intensity, Ar.
tietic Merit and Realism to Oscar
WiIdo's "BaIiad of Read
ing Gaol."

ing Gaol."
Philadelphia.-Thore are law-break.
ers and law-breallers. There are cum.
ming men who make crime DELHI
crate object and there are others who
sin impulslvely under eXtenuating cir
cumstances. The man who is deslg-
mated as "B $685. and is a "lifer" in
the Eastern state penitentiary here
evidently belongs to the latter class
Of conyicts though it hardly seems
fair to classify him as convict after
enc has learned his story. Undoubted-
ly he occupies unique niche in the
realm of criminoIogy ana is a subject
for the psychologist.
The confessions Of most criminals
are crude enough, but in "a Tale of a
Vailed Town and Other Verses" dip
pincOtt company b S2G6 relates the
story Of his interesting life in such ex-
celeDt poetry that William Stanley
Braithwaite, the well-known critic,
visited the poet in prison and wrote
an enthusiastic Introduction to the
book, which is attracting the attention
of persons who know what's what in
poetry.
"a Tale of a Walled Town." like
Oscar Wilde's Ballad of Reading
Gaol," is a poem of lyrical intensity,
artistic merit and powerful realism. 1t
is an honest confession, for the poet
does not deny his sins.
1t was only when locked in his cell
that this unusual man turned to lit
erature and writing for consolation
against terrible despair; for he had
written virtually nothing before for
print.
Ill Treated as Child.
Adopted when child, he was badly
treated and was forced to run away
and work out his own salvation as
best he could at a time when other
youths have parental protection and
influence. The poet sings with sad,
haunting beauty:
81 know no mothers face; nor knew
The mother love that was my due;
Yet dreamed of such the long years
through
And never did the dream come true.
L held so dear"
He wandered about the world a rest
less youth. He found surcease In Ia
Dor and fell in,love, but again was I'M
fortunate. The woman in the case was
OF n wealthy family, and the match
was opposed. The lovers eloped and
for year were exceedingly happy.
She, having been used to costly clothes
and gems, sighed for them again, and
the>poet, who loved not wisely but too
well, stole that she might have luXu-
ries. He was given seven years. After
serving his time he returned to his
wife and then occurred his saddest
disappointment and his downfall.
He found her receiving the atten-
lions Of a rich mans son. She had
forgotten her ardent husband, who
had stolen to please her selfish
whims The poet is quite frank about
it:
"There was mana rich mans SON.
Toll slowly!
Had coveted what l had won,
And for her feet a web had spun.
Il faced him of winters night,
,Ar,co oil the 1roT.ld hoTf Uhito
rs YVES his face in the freight
Looking on me.
For such as he there was no prayer;
Toll slowly!
[ struck; and when I left him there,
Ills blood had crimsonec all his hair.
Here in this cell they coffined me;
Toll slowly!
Hence dead to all save two or three,
And an abiding memory"
Verses Show Originality.
Tie prison poet makes use of the
refrain, "toIl slowly" frequently, and
with telling effect. It is as if the
bell is sounding the death knell of all
his hopes. Not once is the reader
given chance to forget that this
poetic confession is a bit OF real hui
man drama.
The other verses in the book are full
Of originality and intensity, though
some are playful and clever, and
oilers reveal vivid imagination, a
fine sensibility and an appreciation of
nobility and beauty. "B 82GG," an I'M
known convict, is a true poet who has