Comments on: Jeffers’ “November Surf”

By: Dan Jensen

Dan Jensen — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 22:39:09 +0000

Call him misanthrope. Call him a son of Nietzsche if you like. I say the man had a right to be disappointed in his species–or at least to appreciate the tragedy of it, and to seek value and solace in the broad sweep of geologic time. Right or wrong, Jeffers spoke the truth of his heart.

By: Zoli

Zoli — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 20:30:46 +0000

Personal to Loren (sorry about messing up my e-address, it says it all).

I accidentally came across your blog yesterday, 18 months after you put Jeffers up on it. I hope you’re still reading his poetry/prophecy.

I also hope you know he’s chosen the West Coast Poet for the NEA’s Big Read (qv). The Reader’s and Teacher’s Guides therefore are wonderful introductions.

Also, please have a look at: http://www.torhouse.org and come by if you’re in the area.

Zoli

By: Zoli

Zoli — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 00:46:24 +0000

“Jeffers was more than a great poet, he was a great prophet. Everything he wrote about the corruption of empire, the death of democracy, the destruction of our planet and the absurd self-centered vanity of the human animal has come true tenfold since his time.”
Ed Abbey “The Thoreau of the West”

And he, Jeffers, DID give us the best, perhaps the only, ANSWER

THE ANSWER
Then what is the answer?–Not to be deluded by dreams.
To know that great civilizations have broken down into violence, and their tyrants come, many times before.
When open violence appears, to avoid it with honor or choose the least ugly faction; these evils are essential.
To keep one’s own integrity, be merciful and uncorrupted and not wish for evil; and not be duped
By dreams of universal justice or happiness. These dreams will not be fulfilled.
To know this, and know that however ugly the parts appear the whole remains beautiful. A severed hand
Is an ugly thing, and man dissevered from the earth and stars and his history…for contemplation or in fact…
Often appears atrociously ugly. Integrity is wholeness, the greatest beauty is
Organic wholeness, the wholeness of life and things, the divine beauty of the universe. Love that, not man
Apart from that, or else you will share man’s pitiful confusions, or drown in despair when his days darken.

By: Paul Sunstone

Paul Sunstone — Wed, 21 Mar 2007 23:00:49 +0000

Even were we to populate the world in today’s crowded numbers for a thousand more years, our nature shall never change. We evolved as hunter/gatherers, living in small bands, and rare to find on the earth. Many (most?) of us shall never feel unconflicted acceptance of cities. Jeffers is right: There needs be fewer of us.