Roan Stallion

"The dog barked; then the woman stood in the doorway,
and hearing iron strike stone down the steep road
Covered her head with a black shawl and entered the
light rain; she stood at the turn of the road.
A nobly formed woman; erect and strong as a new
tower; the features stolid an dark
But sculptured into a strong grace; straight nose with
a high bridge, firm and wide eyes, full chin,
Red lips; she was only fourth part Indian; a Scottish
sailor had planted her in young native earth,
Spanish and Indian, twenty-one years before. He had
named her California and when she was born;
That was her name; and had gone north."

-Robinson Jeffers from "Roan Stallion"

Cassandra

Cassandra

The mad girl with the staring eyes and long white fingers
Hooked in the stones of the wall,
The storm-wrack hair and the screeching mouth: does it
matter, Cassandra,
Whether the people believe
Your bitter fountain? Truly men hate the truth; they'd
liefer
Meet a tiger on the road.
Therefore the poets honey their truth with lying; but
religion-
Venders and political men
Pour from the barrel, new lies on the old, and are praised
for kindly
Wisdom. Poor bitch, be wise.
No: you'll still mumble in a corner a crust of truth, to
men
And gods disgusting.--You and I, Cassandra.

-Robinson Jeffers

The Night

"I sadly smiling remember that the flower fades to make
fruit, the fruit rots to make earth.
Out of the mother; and through the spring exultances,
ripeness and decadence; and home to the mother."

-Robinson Jeffers from "The Night"