Who could conceivably want to read further? I didn't.
Poems by William M. Daly and Susan Rich read considerably better, but are not without their flaws. Daly's "To One Who Has Been Long In Wandering" is marred a bit by its overly complex grammatical structure; Miss Rich's "Eight O'Clock Crusaders" is lovely, but the meaning of the last three lines completely escapes me.
Fortunately, the writing of Carter Wilson '63 and Max Byrd '64, rescues the Lion Rampant from total mediocrity.
Two poems by Byrd appear in the magazine. In the first, which is untitled, he says, "Man attempts too many explanations." The line suggests the proper way to approach the poem: it should be felt. The basis of the poem is experience, not contrived metaphor; Byrd writes simply but powerfully:
We may find roses soon or music,
And then what shall we do,
But drape our language like a ghost
Across that sudden and surprising darkness
And kiss again and walk beside the river?
Perception and Artistic Talent
By far the best piece of writing which appears in the Lion Rampant is Carter Wilson's "Mrs. Sessions Attends Church." The story is a chapter from a novel on which Wilson is working, but it can stand by itself. Wilson's use of language is simply marvelous. He can compress a whole range of ideas into a single line. He has an acute eye for small details, but--unlike Mr. Littlejohn--also possesses artistic ability to make the detail an integral part of his characterization and plot development. He portrays his main character and the movement of her thoughts with remarkable perception and technical skill. This passage illustrates Wilson's talents especially well:
Mrs. Sessions feels there is some special part of the Communion Service she is coming to hear--she cannot say exactly what, but she fears it comes early and is afraid she'll miss it. Some precious words, maybe only a half dozen that will fill in a black chink, or a gaping maw more and more she is sure exists in her otherwise peaceful and contented soul. Only recently has the need for the refill become obvious, although the cavity may have been there longer.
The Lion Rampant contains a lot of sludge, but the writing of Wilson and Byrd may make it worth a twenty-five cent investment.