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 decadence;
- and home to the mother.
You making haste haste on decay: not blameworthy; life is good, be it stubbornly
- 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 thickening
- 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.
- Shine, Perishing Republic
- Robinson Jeffers