D-Shaped Island "

[?]ian Poet Looks [?]r Guinea

Guinea-dwellers will find of icular interest a volume of ns just published by an an poet of growing fame s intimate links with this McAuley is well known ,s Senior Lecturer at the of Pacific Administration, frequently visited the Terri d some of the poems in this n draw their inspiration experiences in New Guinea, them are several lyrics, and >rial written to those who in the Lamington disaster, if the most interesting of up is the poem entitled Lima, which was written be death of Archbishop e Boismenu, MSC, of the ;land Mission. The first \ped island, with secretive voices, of apocalypse where the h dances, mtains speak, the doors of spirit open, zen are shaken by obscure oes, volume is dedicated to 7herese Nobl e t, Ancilla ’ Marie-Therese Noblet ’renchwoman who founded egation of native Sisters is the Handmaids of Our course of one of his visits [ekeo District, Mr. McAuley Kubuna, where she lived heroic years in Papua and 1930. The story of her 3 a profound impression on [cAuley is a convert who reived into the Roman Church some years ago. gh few of these poems specifically religious theme, le work is religious in the sense, and gives evidence 'e spiritual insight. James is not a poet of surface 3ns. His poetry i§ pre tly intellectual, dense with though never lost in a words or tangled thoughts, for a corresponding m l effort on the part of the His whole care is to tend a greater clarity of ex and he rejects by his own i in “An Art of Poetry” e calls an “individual, and self-expressive art.” is a wide variety of poetic the 69 pages of this col ranging from brief lyrics, delicacy of Chinese porce the long final poem, “A fo John Dryden,” which

consists of 10i pages of heroic couplets, sometimes witty, often biting, but always revealing an underlying earnestness and the utter sincerity that is one of the characteristic features of James McAuley’s work. It is this quality of sincerity and the emotional and intellectual maturity manifested throughout that gives these poems their strength.

In the “Letter To John Dryden,” the poet hits out mightily at most of the prevailing modern ills— social, political, philosophical and theological. The result is some vigorous satire in the modern idiom. In no uncertain tone he denounces the moral bankruptcy of our age: The people speak for God? Then little wonder

What God has joined the voters put asunder. es tote, has dwindled It seems more like a tenancy at will.

And again, very much in the manner of Dryden, he inveighs against evil;— Even the law of murder can be changed: Say “therapeutic” and the thing’s arranged .

In a world dominated by materialism he proclaims the primacy of the spirit: We live by spirit; by the flesh we die.

The law of Moses said it very clearly: (Over)

Man cannot live by Oslo lunches merely, But by a word formed in the intellect. . . .

Nevertheless, although he strikes, it is in order to heal. He is not sitting apart in some Ivory Tower hurling insults at an unthinking mob. His burning desire is to show his fellows what he has seen, and for him the answer is Christ.

“Christ is what men have in common,” and he wants to show this, especially to the “half-way decent simple stunted souls” who are the principal object of his concern.

It would be difficult indeed to read these poems and remain un moved. The sheer sincerity of the man compels attention. There have been many accounts of conversions written, many spiritual testimonies.

Seldom is the inexpressible so simply yet tellingly uttered as in the autobiographical lines of some of the poems in this volume, notably in the “Celebration of Divine Love.” Yet the self-revelation is never adolescent. It is rather an indication of poise and balance and a deep quiet humility. James McAuley’s spiritual affinities are with the 17th Century poets, to whom he is instinctively drawn, particularly the metaphysical poets.

The book takes its title, “A Vision of Ceremony,” from a long

classical poem, “Prometheus,” for several voices and chorus. The underlying meaning of this section, a group of poems under the head ing, “The Hero and the Hydra,” is less immediately obvious. But the individual poems can stand on their own merit apart from any allegorical significance.

Here in fact is a poet with some thing to say, and endeavouring to say it in an intelligible manner. He deserves a hearing.—A PAPUAN

Friend.

t Burns Philp’s Tulagi is sche to sail from Sydney about Jaf 17 on her next recruiting voyg the Line Islands via the GO The saloon passenger fare iii Sydney to Tarawa, and the f 3 rates £l3/5/-, and £6/10/- TL to the Line Islands for gi; cargo. t Monsieur Jean Fournier Montousse, of Sydney, has bee* powered to act as Consul-Gn of France in respect of the G and Ellice Islands Colony.