Mine the stage of moonlit verdure,

By the perfumed zephyrs stirred;
Mine the songs of God's designing,
By a Texas mockingbird.

For Those Who Fail

Joaquin Miller

Study on the proper placing of emphasis to bring out the thought. If you think of some one you have known who has failed and yet deserves praise, it will help you to give this poem with appreciation and feeling.

I

"ALL honor to him who shall win the prize," The world has cried for a thousand years, But to him who tries, and who fails and dies, I give great honor and glory and tears.

2

Give glory and honor and pitiful tears
To all who fail in their deeds sublime,
Their ghosts are many in the van of years,
They were born with time in advance of time.

3

Oh, great is the hero who wins a name,
But greater many and many a time,
Some pale-faced fellow who dies in shame
And lets God finish the thought sublime.

4

And great is the man with a sword undrawn, And good is the man who refrains from wine, But the man who fails and yet still fights on, Lo! he is the twin-born brother of mine.

The Rich Man and the Poor Man

Ivan Chemnitzer

You will need to read this poem over carefully two or three times in order to grasp the thought and to express it naturally. A conversational style is best adapted to the delivery. Do not fail to bring out the many changes that occur, or to express the irony contained in stanza 4. The matter of emphasis should be thoughtfully studied. If, for example, you fail to emphasize "poor" at the beginning of stanza 5, one might think you were still speaking of the rich man described in stanza 4.

I

So goes the world;-if wealthy, you may call
This friend, that brother;-friends and brothers all;
Though you are worthless-witless-never mind

it;

You may have been a stable-boy-what then? 'Tis wealth, good sir, makes honorable men. You seek respect, no doubt, and you will find it.

2

But if you are poor, Heaven help you! though your

sire

Had royal blood within him, and though you
Possess the intellect of angels, too,

'Tis all in vain;-the world will ne'er inquire
On such a score: Why should it take the pains?
'Tis easier to weigh purses, sure, than brains.

3

I once saw a poor fellow, keen and clever,
Witty and wise:-he paid a man a visit,
And no one noticed him, and no one ever
Gave him a welcome. "Stranger!" cried I,
"whence is it?"

He walked on this side, then on that,
He tried to introduce a social chat;
Now here, now there, in vain he tried;
Some formally and freezingly replied,

And some

Said by their silence-"Better stay at home."

4

A rich man burst the door;

As Croesus rich, I'm sure

He could not pride himself upon his wit,
And as for wisdom, he had none of it;
He had what's better; he had wealth.

What a confusion!-all stand up erect-
These crowd around to ask him of his health;
These bow in honest duty and respect;

And these arrange a sofa or a chair,

And these conduct him there.

"Allow me, sir, the honor";-then a bow

Down to the earth.-Is't possible to show
Meet gratitude for such kind condescension?

5

The poor man hung his head,

And to himself he said,

"This is indeed beyond my comprehension"; Then looking round,

One friendly face he found,

And said, "Pray tell me why is wealth preferred

To wisdom?"-"That's a silly question, friend!" Replied the other-"have you never heard,

A man may lend his store

Of gold or silver ore,

But wisdom none can borrow, none can lend?"

The Liberty Bell
Anonymous

This poem has long been a favorite for recitation, though it is sometimes ruined in delivery by too frequent and over-dramatic gestures. The selection is full of changes, and can hardly be spoken in a lifeless, monotonous way if you appreciate at all the scenes described. Think of the old Independence Hall at Philadelphia as you tell the story, and see this now and again by glancing at it through a window in the auditorium where you are speaking. The action described in stanzas 1 and 2 requires a rather rapid movement and ringing tones. Give the quotations in stanza 3 just as you imagine each of the different persons spoke. The only gesture expression required here is to turn to different parts of the audience as each character is quoted, Stanza 5 marks a transition and should be preceded by a pause. At stanza 6 the rate is much faster, continuing until the boy's "joyous cry" is uttered. Then another transi tion, or change, occurs, the rate being rapid till the end of stanza 8. Here again a change occurs, and stanza 9 should be given with slow rate, round, full tones, and strong force.

I

THERE was tumult in the city,

In the quaint old Quaker town, And the streets were rife with people Pacing restless up and down; People gathering at corners,

Where they whispered each to each, And the sweat stood on their temples, With the earnestness of speech.

2

As the bleak Atlantic currents

Lash the wild Newfoundland shore,

He walked on this side, then on that,
He tried to introduce a social chat;
Now here, now there, in vain he tried;
Some formally and freezingly replied,

And some

Said by their silence-"Better stay at home."

4

A rich man burst the door;

As Croesus rich, I'm sure

He could not pride himself upon his wit,
And as for wisdom, he had none of it;
He had what's better; he had wealth.

What a confusion!-all stand up erect-
These crowd around to ask him of his health;
These bow in honest duty and respect;
And these arrange a sofa or a chair,

And these conduct him there.

"Allow me, sir, the honor";-then a bow Down to the earth.-Is't possible to show Meet gratitude for such kind condescension?

5

The poor man hung his head,

And to himself he said,

"This is indeed beyond my comprehension"; Then looking round,

One friendly face he found,

And said, "Pray tell me why is wealth preferred

To wisdom?"-"That's a silly question, friend!" Replied the other—"have you never heard,