BOOK'S AND AUTHORS.

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 81, 29 December 1917, Page 10

BOOK'S AND AUTHORS.

(Bγ. LlBEB.) '

WOOKS OF THE DAY Songs of an Airman. Tho late Geoffrey Wall, author of "Songs of an Airman" (Australasian Authors' Agency, Melbourne), was an old boy of Wesley College, Melbourne, and had just completed his first year at Melbourne University when ho sailed for England with the object of joining the Royal Flying Corps. After a course of training at Denham and Oxfor.l ho obtained his "wings" in June, 1917, but unfortunately was killed .in an aeroplane accident at Netheravon on August 6, 1917. English born, Wall came to Australia as a boy of ton, and both at Wesley College and at the Melbourne University was a universal favourite, bping a keen sport,, specially fond of rowing. He began to write verse —mider the inevitable Kipling influence —when he was sixteen,, contributing to school and 'varsity magazines. Tho poems now collected under the title "Songs of an Airman," wero not written in wartime, but before he went to England. His letters from England, some of which are quotcdjui a well-written and interesting Memoir by Mr. Adamson, Headmaster of Wesley College, Melbourne, exhibit a quite remarkable descriptive power.

It is clear that had ho lived, the young Anglo-Australian would liavo achieved success in prose quite as much as in verse. The verses now collected aro uneven in quality as in stylo. Thero is an eloquently worded tribute to Wilbur Wright, that hero of the airmen, some fino patriotic poems, and some vigorously written verses on college rowing triumphs. I choose for quotation the-little poem, of two verses only, entitled "Somewhere," which seems to mo to be full of a wistful, haunting beauty: Somewhere a voice is singing Over the twilight moor, Out-through the darkness ringing Calling the ghosts of yore. Somewhere across the gloaming Kadiaut and fair she waits; After tho toil and roaming 1 Wide lie the gatea j. Somewhere the wind is 1 sighing liow to the empty night, Over waste headlands crying, Moon waters bright; Somewhere the voiceless singer, ■■ Somewhere the viewless wind . Moonlight and magic linger Lovo lurks behind. Two of the poems, "After the Boat Eaco" aucl "Somewhere," were published in tho Wesley Collego Song Book, and tho musical setting is reproduced in tho hook. (Price, 2s. 6d.) The Lay of the Bantry Bay, etc, -Under the title "The Lay of the Bantry Bay," and other verses, humorous, sentimental, and philosophical,". (Horowhenua Publishing Co.), the wellknown journalist, iMr. George Fowick Brown, has collected and reprinted a number of verses contributed to various New Zealand and Australian periodicals. The author has a fertile imagination, and a.power of expression which displays great versatility. His muso is, for tho most part, a cheerful and sometimes quite a sprightly lady. Even in the philosophical poems thero is generally a gay and engaging optimism. Some of tho verses, headed "In Lighter Vein," show Mr. Brown to bo a satirist of iio mean order. He will not, I believe, quarrel with me if I pass over his philosophic flights and select for quotation the , semi-humorous, semi-serious, effort. (written in 1896) entitled "When Dickens Sent Micawbor to Australia."

We're casual and thriftless all—wo live but in to-day-And listlcssness our drowsy will enfetters ; Why trouble for the morrow, when poster- ■ ity must pay? Our land is lean-for liens they'll be debtors. Ho! Let the borrowed bullion flow! Bight merry shall we be; 'Neath Austral skies we'll ape the old Ismailia . ■ . For OF' the land, not ON it, : at the time to foot the bill Will be OUR generation of Australia.

The Man of Pay by Promises, when he fled the English throng, Determined to abide by cash resources, Wo read that he succeeded; but heredity is 'Strong. His progeny return to evil courses. ' Now Three-ball Kohn (OUR Providence) lends coin to us who stand Tricked out for life in Lassitude's regalia, Giving in pledge the travail of an unborn future band That we may merry be in sad Australia.

There's a land in southern waters where the sky. is ever fair; It flows with milk and honey, too, in places; ' Its men are bronzed and stalwart, and its maids are debonair. But Poverty's grim grasp the land embraces; Their loans must flock unceasingly to wet financial drought. Plus kindred troubles springing, inter aliaAnd the course of all the trouble? Well, I guess it came about When Dickens' sent Micawber to Australia!

. It is true thati. 'Australia and Now Zealand still borrow, but Mr. Brown, I am sure, would be a hearty supporter of recent additions to our indebtedness, and be proud of the fact that we at leaet are now largely relying unon our own resources. Some day, I hope to welcome Mr. Brown's clever verses in a more tasteful and Attractive garb. Broken or blurred type lias made some of them very difficult to read. (Price, Is. 63.)

Give a man a pipe he can smole, Give a man a book he can read; 'And his home is bright, with a calm delight Though the room be poor indeed. , r-JAMBB THOMSON*