THE PURSE-SEINE ROBINSON JEFFERS

Our sardine fshermen work at night in the dark

o the moon! da"#ight or moon#ight
The" $ou#d not te## where to s%read the net&
una'#e to see the %hos%hores$en$e o the
shoa#s o fsh(
The" work northward rom )ontere"& $oasting
Santa *ru+! o, New -ear.s Point or o,
Pigeon Point
The #ook-out man wi## see some #akes o mi#k-$o#or
#ight on the sea.s night-%ur%#e! he %oints&
and the he#msman
Turns the dark %row& the motor'oat $ir$#es the
g#eaming shoa# and drits out her seine-net(
The" $#ose the $ir$#e
/nd %urse the 'ottom o the net& then with great
#a'or hau# it in(
I $annot te## "ou
How 'eautiu# the s$ene is& and a #itt#e terri'#e&
then& when the $rowded fsh
0now the" are $aught& and wi#d#" 'eat rom one wa##
to the other o their $#osing destin" the
%hos%hores$ent
1ater to a %oo# o 2ame& ea$h 'eautiu# s#ender 'od"
sheeted with 2ame& #ike a #i3e ro$ket
/ $omet.s tai# wake o $#ear "e##ow 2ame! whi#e outside
the narrowing
F#oats and $ordage o the net great sea-#ions $ome u%
to wat$h& sighing in the dark! the 3ast wa##s
o night
Stand ere$t to the stars(
4ate#" I was #ooking rom a night mountain-to%
On a wide $it"& the $o#ored s%#endor& ga#a5ies o #ight6
how $ou#d I he#% 'ut re$a## the seine-net
7athering the #uminous fsh8 I $annot te## "ou how
'eautiu# the $it" a%%eared& and a #itt#e terri'#e(
I thought& 1e ha3e geared the ma$hines and #o$ked a## together
into inter-de%enden$e! we ha3e 'ui#t the great $ities! now
There is no es$a%e( 1e ha3e gathered 3ast %o%u#ations in$a%a'#e
o ree sur3i3a#& insu#ated
From the strong earth& ea$h %erson in himse# he#%#ess& on a##
de%endent( The $ir$#e is $#osed& and the net
Is 'eing hau#ed in( The" hard#" ee# the $ords drawing& "et
the" shine a#read"( The ine3ita'#e mass-disasters
1i## not $ome in our time nor in our $hi#dren.s& 'ut we
and our $hi#dren
)ust wat$h the net draw narrower& go3ernment take a##
%owers--or re3o#ution& and the new go3ernment
Take more than a##& add to ke%t 'odies ke%t sou#s--or anar$h"&
the mass-disasters(
These things are Progress!
9o "ou mar3e# our 3erse is trou'#ed or rowning& whi#e it kee%s
its reason8 Or it #ets go& #ets the mood 2ow
In the manner o the re$ent "oung men into mere h"steria&
s%#intered g#eams& $ra$k#ed #aughter( But the" are
:uite wrong(
There is no reason or ama+ement6 sure#" one a#wa"s knew
that $u#tures de$a"& and #ie.s end is death(
Norton /ntho#og" o Poetr"