While this America settles in the mold 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 to make earth.

from “Shine, Perishing Republic.” Here’s hoping for a little less of that “heavily thickening to empire” business in 2010, unlikely as it seems. Happy cautiously optimistic New Year, everyone.