John CabanisNeither spite, fellow citizens,Nor forgetfulness of the shiftlessness.And the lawlessness and wasteUnder democracy’s rule in Spoon RiverMade me desert the party of law and orderAnd lead the liberal party.Fellow citizens! I saw as one with second sightThat every man of the millions of menWho give themselves to Freedom,And fail while Freedom fails,Enduring waste and lawlessness,And the rule of the weak and the blind,Dies in the hope of building earth,Like the coral insect, for the templeTo stand on at the last.And I swear that Freedom will wage to the endThe war for making every soulWise and strong and as fit to ruleAs Plato’s lofty guardiansIn a world republic girdled!
Neither spite, fellow citizens,Nor forgetfulness of the shiftlessness.And the lawlessness and wasteUnder democracy’s rule in Spoon RiverMade me desert the party of law and orderAnd lead the liberal party.Fellow citizens! I saw as one with second sightThat every man of the millions of menWho give themselves to Freedom,And fail while Freedom fails,Enduring waste and lawlessness,And the rule of the weak and the blind,Dies in the hope of building earth,Like the coral insect, for the templeTo stand on at the last.And I swear that Freedom will wage to the endThe war for making every soulWise and strong and as fit to ruleAs Plato’s lofty guardiansIn a world republic girdled!