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
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.

Robinson Jeffers, parecchi decenni fa, per questi pensieri ebbe queste parole, che suonano oggi così spietatamente attuali. Accade a profeti e visionari di scorgere cosa ha in serbo il futuro senza sapere quando.

Several decades ago, these thoughts came to the mind of Robinson Jeffers-- with these words, that sound so frightfully topical today. Prophets and visionaries happen to perceive what the future has in store, without knowing when.