WOMEN WAR POETS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2717, 11 March 1916, Page 10

WOMEN WAR POETS

Some of tho best war poems in the world's history have been written by women. Next to tlie Marseillaise, the war song which has had tho most, direct and powerful influence-on the genera-j tion to which it was addressed was' certainly Mrs. Ward Howe's "Battlci j Hymn of the American Republic," sot to the tunc of "Jehii Brown's Body." The reason for its tremendous appeal is liot to be found only in tho circumstances which called it forth or in tho splendid inarching tune to 'which it was with some difficulty adapted. The pocill itself is in the strictest sense of the word inspired. Ho has loosed the fatal lightnings l of his terrible swift sword,, His wrath is marching on. This hymn is lightning' itself, the beautiful tenderness of the last verso "In tho beauty of the lilies Christ was born across the sea") throwing up the r.loi-n fury of tho whole, as tho silver lining throws up the blackness of tho •itorm cloud. Mood and inspiration aro very old—old as the war songs composed thousands of years before by u'omen too ; when Miriam 6ang "The Horse and His Rider" to the sound of her timbrels by tho shores of tlie Red Sen, aiul Deborah chanted her shrill, .savage triumph song under tho palm tree at Ramali. "At her feet ho bowed, be fell down; at her feet he bowed, lie fell down dead." The moral is of wider application than might appear. Tho hands which work tho victory aro -no doubt the soldier's; but the voieo which gives direction ..and permanence to tho pride and passion of his purpose is generally another's; not infrequently it is a woman's.