18923 A Group of Poets 



to look for roses at that season, but fortunately I 

 found one in the Escondite garden. The lecture 

 was entitled "Education in China." It treated of 

 many current subjects, — affection of doves, de- 

 votion to an idea, significance of world peace, — • 

 almost the only topics not mentioned being China 

 and Education, and the text being from a new song 

 of his, then unpublished: 



There are many tomorrows, my love, my love, 

 There is only one today. 



His own lines, inherently musical, he read most 

 charmingly. 



Looking at his great boots, little Knight piped up: 

 "I know why they call you 'Walk-een.' It's be- 

 cause you walk so much!" — which infantile joke 

 seemed to please the poet mightily. 



Ina Coolbrith, a woman of great personal charm, Cooibnth, 

 long city librarian of Oakland and afterward in '^^'^«o'> 

 charge of the Mercantile Library in San Francisco, Markham 

 had already earned unquestioned standing as a 

 writer of delightful verse. Her later unofficial 

 recognition as "Poet Laureate" of the state is 

 amply justified. John Vance Cheney, a man of 

 literary taste and ability as evidenced in a discrim- 

 inating output of both poetry and prose, belonged 

 at that time to the local coterie. As head of the 

 San Francisco Public Library, and later of the 

 Newberry Library in Chicago, he lived in the con- 

 genial atmosphere of books instead of that of 

 briefs to which he had originally devoted himself. 



Edwin Markham was then principal of the Uni- 

 versity Practice School of Oakland. In 1899, "The 

 Man with the Hoe" gave him a national fame 



C 455 3 



