THE HERALD OF THE STORM.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1726, 29 March 1905, Page 60

THE HERALD OF THE STORM.

■ A SYMBOLIC POEM. (From the Russian of Maxim Gorky.) Over gloomy ocean stretches Winus nave garnered angry storm-clouds, .-iiul oelween rne eiouus and waters Darts, like a black torn oi ligntning, Tne proud messenger of storm. Now his flight goes to the cloud-ridge, Upward, straight, with arrow swilcness; Storm-cloud® xnrill, for in Ins brave voice Tney aevect the cry of j yy. Full of eagernes® for battle; Full of wrath and strength and fire; Full of hope, triumphant courage. Hear the clouds the war-cry proud. Timid sea-gulls pipe and flutter Restlessly above Die breakers, Trembling deep in the ocean’s Depth they fain would hide their fear. Stupid penguins seek the sea-caves, There to hide llieir shiny sleekness Ho at me, the proud storm-herald. Flies with daring, widespread pinions High above the white sea foam. Deeper, darker, ever lowering, Seawards strain the threatening cloudhosts. And the wild waves sliout a. challenge Upward to the lightning fork. Growls the thunder. Mad with fury. Roaring winds and waves are battling. Then the wind take® the battalions Of the strong and angry waters. Dashes them in me dread moment In fierce fury ’gainst the rock wall. That Die great and glittering breakers Turn to spray and are no more.

And the herald of the storm flies. Like a dart of fierce black lightning, Swiftly to the battling cloud-liosts, Touches with hi® wings the sea. See him ! Hovering like a demon Of the storm : great, proud, and sombre. Now lie weeps, now rings liis laughter. T> the clouds his joyful laugh rings, And lie weeps for very joy. For he sees the storm’s fierce power Is departing, disappearing, And he knows no storm can ever Hide the sun, save for a season, Never hide the whole great sun. Winds are raging, thunders roaring . . And above, steeped in blue glory, Shine the clouds above the waters . . . Now the sea receives the lightning, Quenches it within its bosom, And like snakes of flame the flashes Writhe upon the sea and vanish, Vanish, they who hissed and hurt. Storm! Yea, soon a storm is coming! Thus the bird of storm, stout-hearted, Proudly floating through the flashes High above the angry ocean, Calls, and augurs victory. Let the storm burst and grow fiercer! Let it rage and roar at will! —H.F. FMaxim Gorkv, the well-known Russian author, was recently arrested at Riga by order of the Government, and taken to the fortress prison of Schlusselburg. A short time ago, when a publisher wrMie to Gorkv for some biographical details concerning himself, ho received the following revjlv: “1878, apprentice to a shoemaker: 1879. clerk in a drauehtman’s office; 1832, scullery hand on a steamer: 188 A baker’s assistant: 1884. master baker: 1886, chorister in. a travelling onera troupe; 1837, street annle seller; 1838. a candidate for suicide; 1339, clerk in a lawyer's office: 1891, trapped through Russia: porter in a r«il wov station; 1894, my first book was published.” Maxim Gorky’s real name is Alexei Maxiniovitcli Peshkoff. He is _ thirty-six years old, and was born in Nijni-Nov-gorod. His father kept a dyeing factory, his grandfather was an officer in a Siberian regiment, and was dismissed by* the (lien Czar, Nicholas 1., for his advanced views.

It was Kavaleiiko, another well-known Russian writer, who introduced him to Russian literature, by publishing his articles and encouraging him to write. 1