NEW ZEALAND VERSE.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLI, Issue 8, 19 August 1908, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND VERSE.

THE little volume of New Zealand verse issued in “The Canterbury Poets” is well fitted to take its place by the side of the other volumes jn the excellent series. It compares more than favourably with the companion anthology of Canadian poetry. The poems are well selected, and almost every writer of note is represented. The book was well received in England, and the many flattering reviews were fully justified by the contents. The selections from Alfred Domett, however, should certainly have included his “Christmas Hymn,” and we searched in vain for any piesps from S. Seamen's “Thoughts by the May. Her beautiful lines, commencing: Lord. 1 hou hast many a wandering sheep In this wide world of thine, are worthy to rank with anything contained in the volume before us. A critic inclined to fault-finding might take exception to some of the pieces as occasionally verging on the prosaic. W. I’. Reeves, in his introductory ode to New Zealand, cannot.keep away from Women’s Suflrage and the Arbitration Act:—• That Woman with Man shall have station And Labour be lord. Another writer gets stuck for words to describe the flowing of the waters', and says, rather lamely: — "They go as they should go,” which is very nice of them. A third wants to tell you where to find a scarlet spotted spider, but she has forgotten, and! so she says they can be : " seen by those who know vvherq they abide,” .which doesn’t relp one much. _ Fortunately most people have no ambition to meet those poisonous insects. These trifling defects, are, however, of small account. Did not the great Wordswdrth himself often dron into pr'bse, as when lie wro'te“m a c'riiid l ’s grave: I measured it from side to side. ’Twas three foot long and two foot wide. Almost the first thing that strikes one in turning to New Zealand from Australian verse is the much greater variety, both of subject and treatment. This is probably due to the fact that we are not dominated by the influence of the comic writer. Let anyone take at random any hundred Australian poems, and compare them with this New Zealand selection, and it will be apparent that the Australian has a far greater affection for the would-be humorous ballad, a form of versification which strangles all true poetic instincts. For of all causes of melancholy to gods and men the comic poem is perhaps the greatest. In Lawson’s prose the swagman and Hie small selector and the bush landlord) and the new chum are delightful, but the same people dragged through dreary pages of rhymed metre make one feel inclined to quote to the poets a line written by one of themselves: “Go aisy, sonny—sure ye’re, foolin’, nothin’ more.” A really charming poem is the one entitled “Fairyland,” by Anne Wilson. The rather difficult metre is well handled, and eminently suited to the theme. And cloud anil shadow, across the deep Wavered, or paused in enchanted sleep. And eastward, the purple-misted isles Fretted the wave with terrace and steep. “Herdin the Kye,” by Marie Randle, recalls Lord Houghton’s “Brook-side.” The wild snow-clouds were driftin’ -Athart the wintry sky, As thro’ the gusty gleamin’ I went to herd the kye. I row’d my plaidie roun’ nie, -An’ shivered in the blast; When o’er tire kifowe cam’ Jamie, An’ clasped me elose and fast. Bracken’s “Pax Vobiscum” and “Not t l nderstood” are, of course, the gems of the whole collection. The last-named is probably the best known and the most

widely quoted of any of our New Zealand poems. Bracken had the true lyric touch. What could lie more beautiful than th# lines— Dear old forest o’er the sea, Home of Nature’s euphony, Pour thy requiem psalmody O’er the grave of Lilian. Guard that daisy—quitted sod:’ Thou hast there no common clod;’ Keep her ashes safe; for God Makes but few like Lilian. “Ina.’ by W. R. Mills; “Good-night,” by M. A. Sinclair: Arthur Adams’ “Lullaby,” and W. F. Chambers’ “A Little Prayer,’ are only a few amongst many that I have marked for quotation. But space forbids. I feei. nowever, that I must, draw, attention to A, E. Mulgan’s wonderful line, "The league-far surge sobs out eternity,” as showing that our writers,are not insensible to the witchery of words. A noticeable feature of the book is the number of pieces by women writers, .these comprise some of the best poems in the collection. The editors complain that “New Zealanders, though they write poetry, do not read their own poets.” If true, this js to be regretted, as a comparison of the present anthology, with others from older lands, must convince every unprejudiced reader that we possess >n our midst many writers with a true poetic gift. We have as yet no distinct school, but we are shaping towards a school that will add to the literature .of the world a poetry inspired by the breezes and freedom of our sjpi.-swept isles, .and that will shed .on spirits closely furled the freshness of the early world.