Evening star., 1925-11-24
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL.

Lava Lane, and Other POEMS" by
Nathalia Crane, published this Au-
tumn by Thomas SeltZer. New York,
will add little to the laurels of the
young author of THE Janitor's Boy"
the book that took the poetic world
by storm last year.
The fact that Edwin Markham,
venerable poet, recently cast doubt on
the authenticity of the poems. declar-
ing that no 12-year -old child could
have written them. makes a review of
the new volume timely.
1t would not seem to be difficult
ask to prove, one way or the other,
the truth in this matter, and until
1t Is proved, it is only fair to the
publisher and the author that the
work be regarded as genuine, not a
hoax.
Going upon this assumption, the
reader of Lava Lane" will feel that
little Miss Crane has been rushed into
print again in too much of a hurry
Whereas THE Janitor's Boy" charm
ed with some beautiful poems, clean
cut sentences filled with the true
glamour, Lava Lane" is largely des-
titute of such work, arousing curl
osity rather than liking.
1t is n thin little book, 68 pages. of
matter Of fact, only Sc pages con-
tain poems, the remainder being
blank. The production is just exact
~ the sort that those of us who
praised the former volume feared
would result If young genius were
forced to put out another book within
a year.
Modern publishing is relentless. If
an author makes hit" the public
demands more from the same pen.
What would happen, as rule, in
the case of child who had managed
to turn out something fine?
In 80 cases out of 100 the Young
genius would suddenly become self
conscious. 1t would become stilted.
instead of spontaneous, and tend to
adhere to the successful forms.
meters, etc., of the previous effort.
y
This is just exactly what seems to
nave happened in Lava Lane" While
the same aptitude for words and
phrases Is here, ii IS a gift centering
on itself, rather than expert, as be-
fore
Whereas, in THE Janitor's Bow,
one was struck by the diversity of
poetic structure. balanced from page
TO page with such skill that II is no
wonder many doubted that a child
could have written the poems. in
Lava Lane one or two forms are
worked ad nauseam.
Twenty of the thirty-four poems in
the new volume are in the form han
died with such a flawless ability but
few times in the older book This
is exemplified in the first stanzas of
The First Artists" in the new vol
ume:
In Lava Lane were artists
Who swung the chalk with Elee
The pool proclaimed with circle
Inc down stroke was the tree.
On canvas OF the caverns
With fundamental mirth
They outlawed Eva's girdle
Drew Adam as at birth.
The meter used in the opening
poem, which gives this recent publica-
ton its name. Is one used with such
success in The History Of Honey. I"
that effective poem from THE Jani-
tors Boy" Here is a sample of the
new effort:
starry ember OF the skies. a friction
tortured zone,
Fell from heavenly fireplace to orbit of
The seasons soothed each cica,rix as round
Contented as cinder foredained to be a
world.
The pro9toplasm double-timed. the aeons ran
like rain;
Up went a sqltry curtain on the stage of
Aside from the same meters, the
new poems are only the shell, as 1t
were, of the old ones. Reading with
the best intent in the world, preju-