Part 8 (1/2)

BALBOA

Can a man discover a sea?

Can a human eye that's sealed by a night and sun-dazed by day discover a sea?

Discover, O discover a far-going, a far-coming endless, sky-meeting, infinitely finite sea?

Could a Balboa discover a sea?

Yes-- A dew-drop can orb a sun.

A telescope can enfold the stars of a sky.

A pure heart can incarnate G.o.d.

And an eye opened by fate, visioned by providence, looking out from a Panama peak can discover an endless sea!

And great explorer--could you arise and speak-- How did you feel when you discovered a sea?

Did you feel like a babe first opening its eyes from marge to marge on heaven's blue skys?

Did you feel like a mariner sailing the s.h.i.+p of the Earth out through the gates of the dawn?

Did you feel like a soul just escaping from its clay out into the joy of the freedom of s.p.a.ce into a home built from the light of the suns?

Looking, looking, looking far outward, how did you feel when you first saw the sea?

Descending, walking towards the sh.o.r.es, approaching the waters; how did you feel when, with the ineffable shock of a glorious discovery, you first touched the sea?

And great explorer--could you but speak-- What would you say to a whole coast with pilgrims from all the world inquiring of thee?

What would you say, standing now at the mingling of two vast seas.

Looking west, west, west until west becomes east, Looking east, east, east until east becomes west, You could not declare consistently that this is for England, for Germany or America alone.

But inspired by the thought of the hour, we feel sure you would exclaim: ”I--the first to touch both the hemispheric waters-- Hear me, all nations, O hear me, Claim the intermingling oceans for 'The Republic of The United Seas.'”

Yes a man can discover a sea and also cross a sea And also chart a sea and even unite the seas, And civilize and uplift all the people in the nations bordering and tributary to their sh.o.r.es.

Made in the image of G.o.d, a little lower than the angels.

He can gain full dominion over its wide flowing waters, And on the pillars of courage build essential, earthwide democracy.

Strong men, this, then is the hour's decree!

Look upward in faith, move outward in service From the harbor of the present to the wide-emanc.i.p.ating future that is to be.

A NEW INSPIRATION FOR LITERATURE

A new inspiration for literature is at hand. The times, with its mighty impetus for world movements, more than ever demands a cla.s.s of literature that has at its heart the world consciousness. And the man that is to write the literature, it seems to me, must familiarize himself with three master-minds: