REMARKABLE POEM.

Taranaki Daily News, 9 April 1919, Page 4

REMARKABLE POEM.

GREAT MEREST EVINCED IN WELLINGTON. (Special to Taranaki Daily News). (Published by Arrangement). Wellington, April 9. Interest in to-morrow's licensing poll has almost reached fever point here, and the victory or defeat of Prohibition is the main topic of conversation in the city.

Out of the conflict of parties and personalities, there has come a really fine literary production which has received the'highest commendation from all who havo seen it. The poem is said to have been written by a well-known Wellington resident, and in dignity and force reaches an exceedingly high plane. The poem is entitled "The Vote" and reads as follows:

Vote for the child—Vote out the power that steals The life of men—that dulls the joyous brain; That smites the heart, to that it never feels The first fine love or eestacy again. Vote out the Thing that dowers with disease, Within the womb, the little life asleep; That, wakening, shall find not any ease But, limping into life, lives but to weep. Vote out the fear of children who must . run From the dull fury or the worse embrace; do°ne Why th " happy days are When they could smile into a father's face. Vote out the dread of wives who wait alone For the wild step, the maudlin kiss, the blow; Or shrink beside the monster widly thrown ' On marriage-bed whence love went lon* ago. " V ° te "heart * Snßk ' e ° oil9d ln the City ' s Thßt bov' 8 UP °° the ; ' aim P ,e > laughing With the f lrat fatal cup, and with tireless art, Pursues him to the ending of his joy. Vote out the tears of mothers who wait SEJwn ,, : V, !l ~,,deri' , « ?«t the gate. Zam!' leir h ° Pe U but * 4i»& V ° te °thVcup CrimeS tlmt CrimS ° n fr ° m Voto sji madnes9 «* «™ vote tea. * he ; lth and iiapp . neaa to