Ask not what your country
can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.
I am certain that after the
dust of centuries has passed over our cities, we, too, will be remembered not for
victories or defeats in battle or in politics, but for our contribution to the human
spirit.
Our problems are man-made,
therefore they may be solved by man. No problem of human destiny is beyond human beings.
When power leads man towards
arrogance, poetry reminds him of his limitations. When power narrows the area of
man’s concern, poetry reminds him of the richness and diversity of his existence.
When power corrupts, poetry cleanses.
The quality of American life
must keep pace with the quantity of American goods. This country cannot afford to be
materially rich and spiritually poor.
