THE FAMILY TREE
Yourgenealogy may beThe finest thing on earthOr merely a decadent treeOf past descent and worth.The children of the PuritansShould have the Pilgrims’ soulsOr else an alien wire spansYour insulated poles.An aristocracy of breedIs that which keeps the stampOf spirit from heroic deedIn patriot hall or camp.The veins whose life-blood flows for homeOr right or libertyShould be the same from which they come,To keep the nation free.To find in our ancestral lineA sire of noble bloodPuts on us truth to make the signOf our escutcheon good.Colonial forbears condemnLike ghosts from hollow bolesUnless we reincarnate themWithout their shrouds and stoles.To be well-born a century back,A century of fruit,A century the soil to packAbout the ancient root,Is such a heritage we wellMay trace it to its sourceFor all from which its scions swell,Its vital ichors course.
Yourgenealogy may beThe finest thing on earthOr merely a decadent treeOf past descent and worth.The children of the PuritansShould have the Pilgrims’ soulsOr else an alien wire spansYour insulated poles.An aristocracy of breedIs that which keeps the stampOf spirit from heroic deedIn patriot hall or camp.The veins whose life-blood flows for homeOr right or libertyShould be the same from which they come,To keep the nation free.To find in our ancestral lineA sire of noble bloodPuts on us truth to make the signOf our escutcheon good.Colonial forbears condemnLike ghosts from hollow bolesUnless we reincarnate themWithout their shrouds and stoles.To be well-born a century back,A century of fruit,A century the soil to packAbout the ancient root,Is such a heritage we wellMay trace it to its sourceFor all from which its scions swell,Its vital ichors course.
Yourgenealogy may beThe finest thing on earthOr merely a decadent treeOf past descent and worth.
Yourgenealogy may be
The finest thing on earth
Or merely a decadent tree
Of past descent and worth.
The children of the PuritansShould have the Pilgrims’ soulsOr else an alien wire spansYour insulated poles.
The children of the Puritans
Should have the Pilgrims’ souls
Or else an alien wire spans
Your insulated poles.
An aristocracy of breedIs that which keeps the stampOf spirit from heroic deedIn patriot hall or camp.
An aristocracy of breed
Is that which keeps the stamp
Of spirit from heroic deed
In patriot hall or camp.
The veins whose life-blood flows for homeOr right or libertyShould be the same from which they come,To keep the nation free.
The veins whose life-blood flows for home
Or right or liberty
Should be the same from which they come,
To keep the nation free.
To find in our ancestral lineA sire of noble bloodPuts on us truth to make the signOf our escutcheon good.
To find in our ancestral line
A sire of noble blood
Puts on us truth to make the sign
Of our escutcheon good.
Colonial forbears condemnLike ghosts from hollow bolesUnless we reincarnate themWithout their shrouds and stoles.
Colonial forbears condemn
Like ghosts from hollow boles
Unless we reincarnate them
Without their shrouds and stoles.
To be well-born a century back,A century of fruit,A century the soil to packAbout the ancient root,
To be well-born a century back,
A century of fruit,
A century the soil to pack
About the ancient root,
Is such a heritage we wellMay trace it to its sourceFor all from which its scions swell,Its vital ichors course.
Is such a heritage we well
May trace it to its source
For all from which its scions swell,
Its vital ichors course.