THE SIGN OF THE LYRE.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 8190, 3 August 1912, Page 10

THE SIGN OF THE LYRE.

SELECTED VERSE. “CRICKET 1 SING.” BY STEPHEN PHILLIPS. (After Walt Whitman.) Game of all games, than Olympian, Homan, eerener; Cricket 1 sing I Here is no blood Barbarian dyeing tbe award: No thumbs turned upward or down. Only verdure and pipeclay, and silence perfect; The sacred silence of the game I Han,! 1 evolve under ribs of a parody Boul of an Epic, Who knows? Scinluuuit. modern, bizarre! Allons! The uncertainty, first of rain in the night, meaning so much, victory or defeat, •x'uo slow roiling of the ground, the roller how heavy I Five person*, silent bearing tbe shafts in front. One behind, solitary assisting (he too playing his part). Or, in your ear, camerado, does he bat feign assistance And in reality suovos not at ail? The spinning of the coin by the captolna before the pavilion. Bo much depending! The ringing of the belli What bell inueed comparable, ship-bell, fire-bell, or bell even of tabernacle non-conforming f The arena of set laccsl (The poriect white, now that I Me cleaner, of the pppping-creoee). The working-man, siunk irom his snlleft i job away to the verdurous; The faultless glassy top-hatted he of the West; Business eschewed for the day anyhow. The fieldsmen emerging, some from oos postern, some from the other; Yet wherefore. Insula democratic? Is it so easy thus to sever tbe sheep Irons the goals? Silent 1 nudge thee, grim shag-inhaler, beside me sitting, ; Doesl thou not scent in this custom somf>thmg feudal, posse? To me at least something mouldering, Ivied, baronial, x know not who thou'art, camexado, but from thy chin I guess thoo A hater of razors and of kings. I surmise thee by that stubble democratic. Kevcnons! T'ue stern tacit approach of tbe fint two batsmen. They take their guard, but glance fearfully around. Suspicious of ambush laid either side. The epniiixliko umpire, surpliced, motion(Tho' tor the matter of that a sudden legslash might render his children fatherless) His decision utial. anyhow; no appeal! The score-board, infallible, tbe figures disappearing, returning, silent. Numerals as of J udgmout-day 1 me panic of the young out-fieldsman, on test hero. His fin-i ca.ca coming to him, tbe son In his eyes. No tbum.s turned upward or down, only faces. Intent, judicial! If he should fumble it? Come now, memories, ghosts of Land's, or the Oval 1 w'.Q." in bis prime I see, black-bearded, ungainly autocratic. With bilge, thoughtful, bound-reaching stroke ,- luring, slow, aerial trundler. Incredulous of umpired Bpoffortb, greyhoundish, lean, indefatig able. Furious, the problem before him; The wrist-sleeve masking the uncertain orb Hanjl, alert, oriental, perfidious! With swift, sudden,- ungneased glances. Tho silk shirt hupping to and Iro on the dusk body. Quivering, mystical shirt! Bonnor, ambrosial, flaxen, gigantic, fleet! Shrewsbury, unexciting, each stroke a pattern, Quietly perfect, a teacher. Blackham, prince behind stumps, gathering without fear Demon deliveries; oil, wounded, ever returning! All these and others many I see as 1 lounge and lean on tbe rails; All these and others many 1 see, and 1 remember. —"Westminster Gasstta."