THREE BOOKS OF VERSE

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 100, 24 October 1925, Page 17

THREE BOOKS OF VERSE

"Maori Folk Songs." By Hine-Titama. Auckland: Scott Printing Co. "Tho Happy Valley." "By H. M. Green. - Sydney: Dymocks. "The /Frequent Lover,: «His . Verses." 1 By Harold Mercer. Melbourne: Robertson and Mullens!

Eight Maori poems comprise HineTitama's collection., They are : simple and possess undoubted lyrical qualities. The song "Bauparaha Houkamai!" has all the fire of trie war song running through its lines; whereas "The Mokau Biver" (and the word "Moeiau" means "swims asleep") perfectly describes the mysterious solitude of the river wending its way through the forest. >" Maori Folk Songs" is a valuable, addition to the national literature of New Zealand, and also fully expresses the working of Maori mental processes in the face of'tremendous facts, in nature. This point is made clear in the "Phantom Cause," said to be seen on the night of the Tarawera eruption. - • ■ . ; '

"The Happy Valley" / collection of verses has been got together from the pages of "The Bulletin," "Lone. Hand,'' "Sunday Sun," and other journals in which.Mr. Green's work' was given a place. There are nearly 40 poems, some in blank verse. They are remarkable for their graphic descriptions of." tho Australian forest land and/lea, the. rich imagination, of, the poet, .and the! .true lyrical character of most "of them. : "Isabel's Song" is a dainty piece of verse for children,- with ;,a most, attractive' lilt .in .&.,- "Th&'.'Ma'd poem Srid intensely human. : ; H. M. Green is evidently widely read.

. ''The Frequent Lover" is a collection .of ,;yerse ail ori: one-theme: Love. The 'verses, mostly have that very desirable singing quality that commends itself to the reader. There is a. / hint of ■ the charm of Lovelace thro_ugh most of the verse, and especially in this: oneBelieve me,: dear, that at the worst

My subsidy is such I could not love you, dearest, more,

Loved I not others much. „ The poet blithely sings of many loves all through these verses, yet there is struck a note of disillusionment in the foOow-

ing lines:—

Like myths from times when earth was - : young, '.-.-■ And Jove was still, alive, . To grave a song that may be sung, /My memories survive— Sweet,- pleasant things ! I know not why But all the gods' that youth, loves die.