(This first collected edition of poems contains all the ve...)
This first collected edition of poems contains all the verses that retain except the translations from the German, published in 1895 under the title of The White Snake, and some of the poems in Nature-Notes and Impressions, published in 1906.
(Nature-notes and impressions, in prose and verse by Madis...)
Nature-notes and impressions, in prose and verse by Madison Cawein. This book is a reproduction of the original book published in 1906 and may have some imperfections such as marks or hand-written notes.
Madison Julius Cawein was a poet from Louisville, Kentucky, whose poem "Waste Land" has been linked with T.S. Eliot's later The Waste Land.
Background
Madison Julius Cawein was born in Louisville, Kentucky on March 23, 1865, the fifth child of William and Christiana (Stelsly) Cawein. Cawein's father was an herbalist who concocted homeopathic remedies; his mother was a spiritualist. Both possessed strong ties to the natural world themselves, and clearly encouraged their son's interest in his outdoor surroundings. Cawein thus became acquainted with, and developed a love for, local nature as a child.
Education
Madison had a high school education.
Career
In his early twenties, Cawein took a job as a cashier at a local pool hall where he would work for the next eight years. The hours were sometimes long, and Cawein looked forward to his Sunday afternoons when he could take off for the woods, armed with nothing but pen and paper. There, he would compose his poetry, publishing, on average, one volume per year.
Blooms of the Berry, published in 1887, is Cawein's first collection of poetry. It immediately caught the attention of critic William Dean Howells. In his Harper's New Monthly Magazine column, Howells praised Cawein's first effort, and would continue being an advocate of the poet's work throughout his literary career. Not all reviews of Cawein's work were favorable, however. His third volume, Accolon of Gaul, with Other Poems, received a scathing review from an anonymous critic in the Atlantic Monthly. According to Hart, "the anonymous reviewer suggested that Cawein ought to dismiss 'all his romantic persons and his classic divinities, and go into the wilderness for more than an hour at a time.' Indeed he recommended two years of isolation in the woods, so that in the second year the poet could destroy the work of the first and return with only the worthy poems".
While these criticisms must have hurt Cawein personally, he nonetheless continued writing, publishing numerous volumes, including Lyrics and Idyls (1890), Days and Dreams (1891), and Moods and Memories (1892). He had yet to receive the acclaim he so desired of his literary work, due in part to what some critics called an extended apprenticeship. He persevered, nonetheless, and in 1895 his publication The White Snake and Other Poems, represented "a clarity and surer poetic sense" and "characterized his treatment of favorite themes," according to Hart.
During the late 1890s, Cawein was not only becoming an accomplished writer, but he also had discovered a knack for financial matters. Thanks to good investments, he was able to leave the pool hall in 1892 to pursue writing and financial planning full time. He remained in Kentucky, producing numerous volumes of poetry throughout the 1890s and early 1900s.
The early 1900s found Cawein plagued by poor health and financial problems. The two appeared intertwined in their effects on him, ultimately making his enthusiasm dwindle. He continued writing during this time, but his deteriorating state of mind was evident, and the resulting work was not his best. A major criticism of Cawein's writing could easily be applied to most writers during the late 1800s: isolation. It was difficult for writers living in solitary areas of the world to find constructive criticism of their work. Thus, they sometimes published less-than-stellar material, and often didn't realize it until it was too late. Cawein would be no exception to this rule.
He died on December 8, 1914 and was buried in Cave Hill Cemetery.
Quotations:
"There are haunters of the silence, ghosts that hold the heart and brain."
"At daybreak Morn shall come to meIn raiment of the white winds spun."
"Into the sunset's turquoise marge The moon dips, like a pearly barge; Enchantment sails through magic seas, To fairland Hesperides, Over the hills and away."
"Again let us dream where the land lies sunny And live, like the bees, on our hearts' old honey, Away from the world that slaves for money - Come, journey the way with me."
Personality
Brilliant at his best, Madison possessed a gift for emulating the world around him.
Connections
Cawein married Gertrude McKelvey on June 4, 1903 and with her he had a son Preston.