NEW ZEALAND VERSE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19802, 29 May 1926, Page 4

NEW ZEALAND VERSE.

A REVISED ANTHOLOGY. By Constant Beadeb. Tt is 20 years since an anthology of New Zealand verse, collected by Messrs W. F. Alexander and A. E. Currie, was added to the well-known ‘'Canterbury Poets - ’ series, issued by Walter Scott, of Newcastle-on-Tyne, that pioneer amons publishers. By means of those shilling monthly little'pocket volumes of verse, a love of all that is best in English poetry was inculcated in the minds of the multitude. Not only so, but Walter Scott followed the “Canterbury Poets’ with the “Great Writers” series, biographies which have proved invaluable for reference and inspiration. Moreover, Walter Scott, who was that rara avis among publishers, a man who placed the dissemination of good literature above ail considerations of profit, was tpe first to introduce English readers to the works of the great Continental including Tolstoy, Ibsen, and others. To-day, alas! the Walter Scott Publishing Company has ceased to exist, and among other of its publications which have gone out of print is the volume of “New Zealand Verse,” the editors- of which have often been urged to revise it and bring it up to date by including samples < ot the work of the writers in the Dominion who have emerged during the past two decades. At length, Messrs vN iutcombe and Tombs having acquired the copyright of the collection, the necessary arrangements were made, with the result that a revised edition has just been published under tlm title of “A Treasury of New Zealand Verse.” ... At first sight a feeling of regret will be felt at the replacement of the favourite pocket volume format by a larger and more pretentions book. The old ‘New Zealand Verse” was so handy a companion; the new “Treasury,” while it may look better on the shelf, is not so easy to carry. Moreover, the convenient price of is—in the Dominion Is 3d —has been replaced bv a more formidable fis, an inevitable mark of altered times. If these be the drawbacks there arc compensations, and this mainly in the larger type which should save in eyesight the extra °°The chief regret, however, will be felt in the fact that the valuable essay on New Zealand poetry which made such a capital introduction to the original edition. has no place in the ‘‘Treasury. Probably the excuse will be that Mr Alexander and Mr Currie are both busy men who find it impossible to add to other responsibilities the task of bringurn the essay up to date, and that in its” old form it would be unsuitable to the new edition. Since 1906 the field lias so widened and the claimants for poetic distinction have so multiplied, that the sifting process would have entailed conmderable labour and the exercise of individual judgment. At the same tune a good deal of the sifting and judging was necessarily entailed in the revision; and it would have been interesting to learn from the editors the reasons which led to the exclusion of pieces appeared in the first edition and the difficult matter of the new selections which take thenplace. ~ , , The editors, Messrs Alexander and Currie, are modest to the point of brevity in their preface to this second edition. They explain that to the original collection 43 new pieces have now been added, "some the more recent work of contributors represented in the first edition, the rest selected from 18 new contributors.” They also state that “exigencies of space have entailed the omission of a number of other newer writers and the excision of 24 of the pieces previously included.” The hope is expressed that the “Treasury” has been made “not less representative of the full body of New Zealand verse than was the first edition 20 years ago.” Necessarily the compilation ot an anthropology reflects the personal predilection of the compiler; and absolute impartiality is not to be expected. The editors of this anthology have their undoubted favourites. This is shown in the main in the considerable addition to the examples of the muse of Miss Jessie Mnckay —five pieces in the first edition, ten in the second. In the case of Miss B. E. Baughan there is also a proportionate increase. This is probably because both poets are still writing, and the contrast between their earlier and their more mature work is the more marked. The early work, as a rule, has a larger tinge of. inspiration, and, while maturity may bring better technique, it is at the expense of some of the former glow. In passing, the fact mav be noted that, out of a total of over 70 contributors, no fewer than 27 are women. Controversy may be expected when the selection of the new candidates comes to be considered, and some reference in detail will be ot general interest. No clue is given in regard to the identity of some of these writers, ncr the source from which the examnles are drawn. This is the case with a counlo of the new pieces introduced early in the volume: — TAURANGA. Carving and wandering by ft wandering shore Of endless sunny beaches moves the sea,. Spilling its wealth of shell and weed, while we Watch peacefully, or dip a silent oar. And as the evening gathers more more That strange old Mount, purples mysteriously. And Waharoa and Hararoiki Creep clown to watch the places of "their war. e Tuhua, Motiti, and Knrewha, And the sad stretch of Matakana sand, Like some great monster in his idle case, Frowns still from Maunganiti the desert Fa, But all the beaches sleep and all the land, And only sea-birds now disturb the seas. —Erica K. Wilson. STEWART ISLAND. ■ There are great seas that flutter to the coast As some giant sea-bird spent;; lucre's a green lost land that has no other boast Than that it clothes content. And all about the islets, studded are, They laugh back to the sea, While out beyond the big ships battle far Into immensity. —S. G. August. If these verses be taken as samples of the vor.-e which is being written in the Dominion to-day, it is absolutely traditional, and it reveals nothing new cither in idea or in treatment. The vagaries of verslibre have not been so far affected by New Zealand writers. Another new woman writer who sounds a similar note is Lilia G. MTvay—variously spelt “Mackay” in the index —who sings of July and September in New ZealandThe “July” verses make a dainty picture, and one fairly faithful to the fact; — JULY, NEW ZEALAND. By fragrant tokers on the wintry way I know she has been here, timid and fleet. Too frail to linger yet and boldly meet Rough Winter’s jealous wrath. Saw you her, pray ? A primrose wreath upon her brow, and gay Red wind-iiowers at her breast, all dewysweet, Heard you the tread of light, wind-driven 'feel? Did such a maid delight your eyes today '/ Ay! cn the highway, in the windy morn, We saw her pass, in gown of green arrayed, With tossing hair and sheaves of daffodils; But as wo spied her, Winter's clam'rows horn Mustered the storm-clouds. Suddenly dismayed She fled. The grey rain hid the misty hills. It is seldom that a New Zealand poet attempts to find inspiration in the street. The average street in any Dominion city is a most uninspiring sight. A poet will go to the bush, the forest, the sky the sea, the river, but he will sedulously keep off the street. It is to the credit of J. 11, E. Schroder—Mr, Mrs, or Miss not stated, but presumably of the male persuasion—to make music and a picture out of a New Zealand street: Long hours the asphalt, grimed, blistered and old, A haggard monotone of weary gray. Smoulders in dull hostility. The day With challenging splendour, arrogant blue and gold Mocks ot the humbled ugline'S; a hold Vagabond wind fll'.ga in its face his stray Litter of insult; u"chin dustwhirls play Their fitful games in the gutters. . But bahcld

The dusk falls, and along the purpling street Night strews her silence; cool and still, the air Enfolds the throbbing hours in a soft Forgetfulness. The kindly shadows meet In noiseless converse, and the lamps aloft Covers with silver pavements suddenly fair One of the newest and youngest aspirants after poelio fame is Miss Mania Service, of Dunedin, who has carried oil' in poetry competitions in Christchurch. She is represented in this anthology by some ambitious verses, the meaning of which is somewhat obscure, but which, from a technical point of view, show much promise. It is a pity, perhaps, that the sample selected is not more truly representative of New Zealand, but ns imaginative work the poem is worthy of high praise. BLUE MAGIC. Temple of Twilight on a lonely hilltop Towers of pale opal leaning on the sky, Take my soul lying in the blue-black graves, Burn it with blue flame, for to-day 1 die. Here in the deep’ning drift of many petals, Here where the sthovvods pas with noiseless tread (Blue phantoms stealing down the silent pine-ways) . Tenderly lay me when my life is tied. Let only young priests bear my withered body, . Eyes filled with wonder ’neatli their azure hoods , . .. Let only maidens dancing in tbeir frailness Chant the Blue Magic of the 'sacred words. Pass me and leave me to the peace of silence Here in the forest and the night s dim blue; . Soon will the incense in the swinging Cast its last flicker on the ghostly dew. Only the darkness and the burnt-out torches, , , , , Only the blue pall of the .lonely sky Only the sighing round the shrouded figure. Only the wraiths of starlight drifting by Death and a sleeping in the long blue grasses , . . . Into the Twilight Temple, hush; he passes.

The poetry-lover will find much in this collection, as now revised, to interest and attract. If the anthology does not reveal any outstanding genius, there is at least much real merit and the promise of better things when the poets of New Zealand shall have shaken off the shackles of the Old World and the past, and find themselves in their right and natural atmosphere of expression. The uppermost feeling altoi an examination of the pages of this anthology is a hope that work so well done, up to point, may be carried further. No two other men have so close and irttimate acquaint ance with the body of New Zealand tu-c as Messrs Alexander and Currie. Cannot they be persuaded to perfect the present Treaaurv and lay plans with the publisher* for a third edition, this to embrace the introductory essay carried on up to the present time, and hlso brief biographies and bibliographies of the poets whose verses are ffidmlecß Nor should there ho any elusions or omissions because of lack ? f This may seem to be a counsel of porfection but there will be profit m it as " c >>. and’Messrs Wbitcombe nnd Tombs may do worse than follow up the suggestion.