I-feel-that-this-award-was-not-made-to-me-as-a-man

Ifeelthatthisawardwasnotmadetomeasaman,buttomywork--life'sworkintheagonyandsweatofthehumanspirit,notforgloryandleastofallforprofit,buttocreateoutofthematerialsofthehumanspiritsomethingwhichdidnotexistbefore.Sothisawardisonlymineintrust.Itwillnotbedifficulttofindadedicationforthemoneypartofitcommensuratewiththepurposeandsignificanceofitsorigin.ButIwouldliketodothesamewiththeacclaimtoo,byusingthismomentasapinnaclefromwhichImightbelistenedtobytheyoungmenandwomenalreadydedicatedtothesameanguishandtravail,amongwhomisalreadythatonewhowillsomedaystandwhereIamstanding.Ourtragedytodayisageneralanduniversalphysicalfearsolongsustainedbynowthatwecanevenbearit.Therearenolongerproblemsofthespirit.Thereisonlythequestion:WhenwillIbeblownup?Becauseofthis,theyoungmanorwomanwritingtodayhasforgottentheproblemsofthehumanheartinconflictwithitselfwhichalonecanmakegoodwritingbecauseonlythatisworthwritingabout,worththeagonyandthesweat.Hemustlearnthemagain.Hemustteachhimselfthatthebasestofallthingsistobeafraid;and,teachinghimselfthat,forgetitforever,leavingnoroominhisworkshopforanythingbuttheoldveritiesandtruthsoftheheart,theuniversaltruthslackingwhichanystoryisephemeralanddoomed--loveandhonorandpityandprideandcompassionandsacrifice.Untilhedoesso,helaborsunderacurse.Hewritesnotoflovebutoflust,ofdefeatsinwhichnobodylosesanythingofvalue,ofvictorieswithouthopeand,worstofall,withoutpityorcompassion.Hisgriefsgrieveonnouniversalbones,leavingnoscars.Hewritesnotoftheheartbutoftheglands.Untilhelearnsthesethings,hewillwriteasthoughhestoodamongandwatchedtheendofman.Ideclinetoaccepttheendofman.Itiseasyenoughtosaythatmanisimmortalsimplybecausehewillendure:thatwhenthelastding-dongofdoomhasclangedandfadedfromthelastworthlessrockhangingtidelessinthelastredanddyingevening,thateventhentherewillstillbeonemoresound:thatofhispunyinexhaustiblevoice,stilltalking.Irefusetoacceptthis.Ibelievethatmanwillnotmerelyendure:hewillprevail.Heisimmortal,notbecausehealoneamongcreatureshasaninexhaustiblevoice,butbecausehehasasoul,aspiritcapableofcompassionandsacrificeandendurance.Thepoet’s,thewriter's,dutyistowriteaboutthesethings.Itishisprivilegetohelpmanendurebyliftinghisheart,byremindinghimofthecourageandhonorandhopeandprideandcompassionandpityandsacrificewhichhavebeenthegloryofhispast.Thepoet'svoiceneednotmerelybetherecordofman,itcanbeoneoftheprops,thepillarstohelphimendureandprevail.