A Rather Appropriate Robinson Jeffers Poem

"Shine, Republic"

The quality of these trees, green height; of the sky, shining; of water, a
clear flow; of the rock, hardness
And reticence: each is noble in its quality. The love of freedom has been
the quality of western man...

And you, America, that passion made you. You were not born to
prosperity, you were born to love freedom.
You did not say "en masse," you said "independence." But we cannot have
all the luxuries and freedom also.

Freedom is poor and laborious; that torch is not safe but hungry, and often
requires blood for its fuel.
You will tame it against it burn too clearly, you will hood it like a kept
hawk, you will perch it on the wrist of Caesar.

But keep the tradition, conserve the forms, the observances, keep the spot
sore. Be great, carve deep your heel-marks.
The states of the next age will no doubt remember you, and edge their love
of freedom with contempt of luxury.