Public Thing

Respublica:

The strident high

civic trumpeting

of misrule. It is

what we stand for.

Wild insolence,

aggregates without

distinction. Courage

of common men:

spent in the ruck

their remnant witness

after centuries

is granted them

like a pardon.

And other fealties

other fortitudes

broken as named—

Respublica

brokenly recalled,

its archaic laws

and hymnody;

and destroyed hope

that so many times

is brought with triumph

back from the dead.

Geoffrey Hill.