40 



THE GUIDE TO NATURE 



'HE GOES WALKING OVER THE HILLS AND THROUGH THE WOODS.' " 



from the farmer's boy feeding the pigs, 

 whose acquaintance He had probably 

 made, and from whom He drew his mosi 

 touching lesson. These thoughts must 

 have been running through Bliss Car- 

 man's mind Vvdien he asked the astonish- 

 ing question, Suppose one were to meet 

 Christ right on ordinary, everyday, 

 commonplace Ponus Street, what then is 

 to be done? It is to think His thoughts 

 and draw His lessons from nature and 

 realize, as Ponus Ridge said to the strid- 

 ing rain, there is a greater question than 

 "Love one another," the harder task, 

 "Ye shall rise again." Bliss Carman is 

 showing the sacredness of commonplace 

 nature, making really a new Canaan and 

 in the years to come that sacredness of 

 thought shall more and more be credited 

 to this master poet whose head and 

 heart tower literally and emblematically 

 farther toward heaven than those of 

 most men while his feet tread common- 

 place earth. 



From James Whitcomb Riley's 

 Secretary. 



Indianapolis. Ind., April 17, 191 5. 

 Dear Mr. Bigelow : 



Your letter has been forwarded to Mr. 

 Riley in the South where he has no 

 secretary. I know he will make a special 

 efifort to write what you request because 

 of his friendship both for you and Mr. 

 Carman. 



May 7th, 191 5. 



Mr. Riley, who isn't able to take up 

 the pen, says he has expressed his appre- 

 ciation and love for Bliss Carman in the 

 poem which I am enclosing. He is sorry 

 that his health is such that it is difficult 

 for him to write anything new. "There 

 is nothing I would not do or say for 

 Carman," he tells me. "He is a fine, 

 knightly man, poet and scholar." 



The man is blessed w'ho every day is 

 permitted to behold anything: so pure and 

 serene as the western skv at sunset, 

 while revolutions vex the world — 

 Thoreau. 



TO BLISS CARMAN. 



He is the morning's poet — 



The bard of mount and moor, 



The minstrel fine of dewy shine, 

 The dawning's troubadour : 



The brother of the bluebird, 



ATid blossoms, throng on throng, 



Whose singing calls, o'er orchard walls, 

 Seem glitterings of song. 



