America among the ruins

“In New York the opportunities . . . for acquiring a culture that shall not come out of the ruins but belong to life, are probably greater than anywhere else in the world. “

Thomas Wolfe

Imagine living a life among the ruins

Culture & music & art of the long departed

Some good, some great, but much that is poor

And you’re, constant sorting of such

Imagine living a life among the dead,

Above the dead, in love with the dead

Given names, taken names, inherited names

And you’re, constantly trying to make such a name

Now imagine a life rooted in rebirth

In constant promise of new art, new music,

& new rhyme

It’s true, much that is poor and forgotten

But the good and the great constantly increase

Imagine a life with the reverent dead in their

place and you in yours

Naming names from inspired natural world

Place names, town names, mountain names

river names given rebirth

Now, imagine America among the ruins

along side the dead

adhered to the past

or to forge ahead

An old and weary world

would wish for the passing

of a young America that is not lasting

but must choose:

To reserve a place among the ruins

or to preserve a future

where rebirth awaits,

such are its choices

9/26/09