Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-08-09
NEW BOOKS
AT RANDOM
I. C.. NJ.

SELECTED POEMS. Chain Mach
man Bialik The New Palestine.
Maurice Samuel, who translated the
poems Of Bialik from the Hebrew and
selected those which make up this
volume, adds here also competent
critical sketch of the work Of this
poet and a passing glimpse of his
life.
Born in Russia in 1873, his boy
hood and youth were passed In deep
est poverty. This fact comes out in
his poetry. do you know where
nv songs are taken?" is a line that
introduces a gray picture of want and
suffering such as he himself ex-
perienced. After the death of his
father the boy went to live with his
grandfather, Jew of the old school,
stern, fanatical and autocratic. This
period also is reflected in his later
work. Bialik was full grown when
he took up his secular education
which he pursued with ardor and
eminent success. Wandering and al
ways working, he finally settled in
Odessa, where he prospered as a
printer. all the time following the
urge of poetry as his fullest means
of self.expression. At the advent of
Bolshevism he moved to Palestine,
where he now lives.
In most interesting talk about
the poet Maurice Samuel says: "Now,
the popularity Of genius is that 1t
can do anything, and because Bialik
Is a genius he succeeded in produc-
ing greatness out of secondhand ma
terial. He had his own powerful
emotions. He had a language learn
ed artificially, maintained artificially.
There were no masses speaking
Hebrew. There were no lovers WOO
ing in Hebrew. There was not a
Hebrew slang. There was not a He
brew life of the soil In face of these
terrific handicaps Bialik succeeded In
producing a living literature" Read
ing these selected poems, all will
agree that this is not an overdrawn
summary of the quality Of this Jew.
ish writer's gifts and powers. Again
the critic says: There are two dis
tinct Bialika-Bialk the prophet and
Bialik the human singer. They are
linked by common genius, but sepa-
rated by moods as far apart as the
poles. Bialik the prophet is not al
ways the prophet Of the orthodox
God. He Is as often in revolt against
God as against his own people--his
revolt is not based on hatred but on
tortured love instead"
Bfalik the human singer is, accord
Ing to Mr.. Samuel. best set forth in
Songs Of the People, Selections
from this poem are submitted here.
1t deals largely with the feelings of
Jewish maidens who knew only Yid-
dish, and portrays the Illustrations
of many sorts that lay in such an in
closed existence Of rigid inhibitions.
Here one finds in full the deep
cynicism Of the ghetto and it's pas.
sionate hatreds. One of Bialik's great
poems, according to this critic, is
The City of Slaughter" which you
have a chance to read here. 1t is
protest against the pogrom. a protest
against its injustice, inhumanity,
bestiality. 1t is also shout of scorn
for the victims, for their cowardice
and submission. A picture, black as
night. opens the poem and off against
that Is set the wan colors of fear and
flight. The emotions stirred so ire
mendously here are those of pity, con-
tempt and terror.
THE Dead of the Wilderness"
springs from a legend. 1t therefore
lacks the direct personal appeal of
The City Of Slaughter" The legend
runs that the Jews who left Egypt
for Canaan did not die in the wilder
ness, as the Bible states. No, but be-
cause they were rebels they were cast
into deep sleep that eased now and
then into wakefulness. At these
periods Of consciousness they took I'D
their weapons and went on their way.
An amending journey, it's goal never
ro4Cnnd CfnNn cla ID
upon them again. and again. Mr..
Samuel declares this poem to have the
grandeur of Milton. Read for your.
self in proof of this assertion that it
rings with Millions tremendous mu.
SIC. Here the immemorial oppres.
siVeness of the great wastes lies on
every verse. The lion steps down with
smooth and tremendous footsteps to-
ward the encampment the eagle
screams In the upper heights, the vast
serpent lifts up it's half column of
bright hieroglyphics. the Arab cara
van sways dreamily along the hori.
zon." This little volume is clearly
portunity-opportunit for lovers of
great poetry to approach a great
poet on the theme Of Jewish life in
It's alienation from a mother soil, with
the losses-material, and then spirit.
ual-which such alienation has en-.
tailed on the full substance of Jewish
existence.
GODS CHEER: And Other Poems.
Charles Wellington Goodin. Chris
TOPPER Publishing House
A poet of native stripe this one,
poet of homespun besides. And, as is
commonly the case, the man himself
is more significant and therefore more
interesting than any single job Of work
that he turns out. Pioneer life went
into the making of this writer, and
successful business career also. Not
particularly promising preparation for
song making, some one may say. That
depends. Now it turns out that. in
addition to being a business man of
substance, this man had built into his
career certain qualities that prove to
be equally good, whether one is mere
ly living, or trading. or writing verses.
The record says that in the days
work of rounding up prosperity and
success Charles Goodin found time.
and will, to learn of the needs of
many people-of this one with a
troubled mind, Of that one with
sorrowing heart, of the other man
over there worried about some trouble
that he thought was on the way to
him. Having learned of these things,
Mr.. Goodin didn't stop there. He went
out to meet these men and women of
various needs. A rare man, who had
time to be both a business success
and a human being besides. And
that's the tune to which this poetry
created in the rare moments of this
mans leisure-Asings it's homely and
friendly way into the hearts Of the
reader. No, not altogether pious, as
the title poem suggests-just reverent
toward life and the
beauty Of the world and the care that
to him is Enthusiastically shed around