Shine, Perishing Republic

While this America settles in the mould of its vulgarity, heavily thickening 
   to empire
And protest, only a bubble in the molten mass, pops and sighs out, and the
   mass hardens,
I sadly smiling remember that the flower fades to make fruit, the fruit rots 
   to make earth.
Out of the mother; and through the spring exultances, ripeness and deca-
   dence; and home to the mother.

You making haste haste on decay: not blameworthy; life is good, be it stub-
   bornly long or suddenly
A mortal splendor: meteors are not needed less than mountains: 
   shine, perishing republic.
But for my children, I would have them keep their distance from the thick-
   ening center; corruption
Never has been compulsory, when the cities lie at the monster's feet there 
   are left the mountains.
And boys, be in nothing so moderate as in love of man, a clever servant, 
   insufferable master.
There is the trap that catches noblest spirits, that caught--they say--
   God, when he walked on earth. 


~Robinson Jeffers, Shine, Perishing Republic, 1925