Where the West Begins

Arthur Chapman

This and the four other selections immediately following are laudatory of sections and States. The choosing of any of them for recitation will of course depend upon the speaker's sympathies. The poem that follows requires special study to determine the proper em. phasis. In the first place, the word or words that chiefly present each picture should be emphasized. And then, in the six repetitions of the line, "that's where the West begins," seek variety in emphasis. Thus, when this line is first reached, the obvious stress is on "that's" and "West"; the next time, say, on "West" only; then on "that's" only, ending the line with the rising inflection; and at the close distribute the emphasis so that no single word is specially stressed. The suggested variation is suggestive only, but the point is that in a repetition of words, phrases, or clauses, one should seek variety in emphasis.

I

OUT where the hand clasp's a little stronger,
Out where a smile dwells a little longer,

That's where the West begins.

Out where the sun is a little brighter,

Where the snows that fall are a trifle whiter, Where the bonds of home are a wee bit tighterThat's where the West begins.

2

Out where the skies are a trifle bluer,
Out where friendship's a little truer,
That's where the West begins.

Out where a fresher breeze is blowing,

Where there's laughter in every streamlet flowing, Where there's more of reaping and less of sowingThat's where the West begins.

3

Out where the world is in the making,
Where fewer hearts with despair are aching-
That's where the West begins.

Where there's more of singing and less of sighing,
Where there's more of giving and less of buying,
And a man makes friends without half trying—
That's where the West begins,

The West

Douglass Malloch

The suggestions made regarding the preceding poem largely apply also to this one. Especial care should be exercised in emphasizing the words that express the contrasts, such as "East," "West," etc.

I

MEN look to the East for the dawning things, for the light of a rising sun,

But they look to the West, to the crimson West, for the things that are done, are done.

The eastward sun is a new-made hope from the dark of the night distilled;

But the westward sun is a sunset sun, is the sun of a hope fulfilled!

2

So out of the East they have always come, the cradle that saw the birth

Of all of the heart-warm hopes of man and all of the hopes of earth—

For out of the East arose a Christ and out of the

East has gleamed

The dearest dream and the clearest dream that ever

a prophet dreamed.

3

And into the waiting West they go with the dreamchild of the East,

And find the hopes that they hoped of old are a hundred-fold increased.

For here in the East we dream our dreams of the things we hope to do,

And here in the West, the crimson West, the dreams of the East come true!

Land of the South

Alexander Beaufort Meek

The emotion of tender compassion which runs through this poem should be appreciated and expressed in musical tones charged with deep feeling. Note the slight change in emotion that appears in the last stanza, the climax at the close requiring strong, ringing tones.

I

LAND of the South!-imperial land!

How proud thy mountains rise!-
How sweet thy scenes on every hand!
How fair thy covering skies!

But not for this,-oh, not for these,
I love thy fields to roam,-
Thou hast a dearer spell to me,-

Thou art my native home!

2

The rivers roll their liquid wealth,

Unequaled to the sea,

Thy hills and valleys bloom with health,
And green with verdure be!

But, not for thy proud ocean streams,
Not for thine azure dome,-

Sweet, sunny South!-I cling to thee,-
Thou art my native home!

3

I've stood beneath Italia's clime,
Beloved of tale and song,-

On Helvyn's hills, proud and sublime,
Where nature's wonders throng;
By Tempe's classic sunlit streams,
Where gods, of old, did roam,—
But ne'er have found so fair a land
As thou-my native home!

4

And thou hast prouder glories, too,
Than nature ever gave,—

Peace sheds o'er thee her genial dew,
And Freedom's pinions wave,-
Fair Science flings her pearls around,

Religion lifts her dome,—

These, these endear thee to my heart,-
My own, loved native home!

5

And "heaven's best gift to man" is thine,

God bless thy rosy girls!

Like sylvan flowers, they sweetly shine,-
Their hearts are pure as pearls!
And grace and goodness circle them,
Where'er their footsteps roam—
How can I then, whilst loving them,
Not love my native home!

6

Land of the South-imperial land!-
Then here's a health to thee,-
Long as thy mountain barriers stand,
May'st thou be blest and free!-
May dark dissension's banner ne'er
Wave o'er thy fertile loam,-
But should it come, there's one will die,
To save his native home!

The Call of Kansas

Esther M. Clark

In speaking this selection, almost any Western State could be substituted for Kansas, if desired, for the poem might properly be entitled, "The Call of the Prairie." Notice that the author writes from a Southern seaport. This selection, with its home sentiment and appeal to the imagination, requires for delivery a moderate to slow rate and sustained sympathy and feeling.

I

SURFEITED here with beauty, and the sensuoussweet perfume

Borne in from a thousand gardens and orchards of orange bloom;

Awed by the silent mountains, stunned by the breakers' roar

The restless ocean pounding and tugging away at the shore

I lie on the warm sand beach and hear, above the

cry of the sea,

The voice of the prairie, calling, calling me.