"Democracy" by Madeline Mason

"Democracy" by Madeline Mason

Poetry

American poetry--20th century

Women poets, American

A photocopied typewritten draft of the poem "Democracy" by Madeline Mason. Date of origin unknown. Date, location, and history of authorship unknown. Publishing history unknown.

Transcription:
We do not like kings:
We sicken at a whiff
Of special privilege,
Call none: "My Liege".
We bow badly -
The kneejoints [sic] of democracy are stiff.
But our minds are supple;
Like our great rivers flowing
Wide and free
We couple
Big with small
Poor with rich,
Knowing that the same earth shapes
Mountain and ditch.

Our royalty
Is made, not born,
Made of the right
To grow
To learn
New law when old law is outworn,
To march abreast
To edges of horizons
Never met,
But real as hope
And love
And liberty are real
Under democracy's seal.

Mason, Madeline

Box 2.325/W16, Madeline Mason papers, 1867-1992, Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin

Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin

Unknown

Via, Madeleine

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English

Text

United States, 20th Century

Paper photocopy