 | Leaves of grass. |  |
7
17 I see the battle-fields
of the earth — grassgrows
up- on them,
and blossoms and corn;
I see the tracks of ancient and modern expeditions.
18 I see the nameless masonries, venerable messages of the unknown events, heroes, records of the earth.
19 I see the places of the sagas;
I see pine-trees and fir-trees torn by northern blasts;
I see granite boulders and cliffs — I see green meadows and lakes;
I see the burial-cairns of Scandinavian warriors;
I see them raised high with stones, by the marge of restless oceans, that the dead men's spirits, when they wearied of their quiet graves, might rise up through the mounds, and gaze on the tossing billows, and be refresh'd by storms, im- mensity, liberty, action.
20 I see the steppes of
Asia;
I see the tumuli of Mongolia — I see the tents of Kal- mucks and Baskirs;
I see the nomadic tribes, with herds of oxen and cows;
I see the table-lands notch'd with ravines — I see the jungles and deserts;
I see the camel, the wild steed, the bustard, the fat- tail'd sheep, the antelope, and the burrowing wolf.
21 I see the high-lands of Abyssinia;
I see flocks of goats feeding, and see the fig-tree, tamarind, date,
And see fields of teff-wheat, and see the places of verdure and gold.
22 I see the Brazilian vaquero;
I see the Bolivian ascending Mount Sorata;
I see the Wacho crossing the plains — I see the incom- parable rider of horses with his lasso on his arm;
I see over the pampas the pursuit of wild cattle for their hides.
I see the tracks of ancient and modern expeditions.
18 I see the nameless masonries, venerable messages of the unknown events, heroes, records of the earth.
19 I see the places of the sagas;
I see pine-trees and fir-trees torn by northern blasts;
I see granite boulders and cliffs — I see green meadows and lakes;
I see the burial-cairns of Scandinavian warriors;
I see them raised high with stones, by the marge of restless oceans, that the dead men's spirits, when they wearied of their quiet graves, might rise up through the mounds, and gaze on the tossing billows, and be refresh'd by storms, im- mensity, liberty, action.
152
I see the tumuli of Mongolia — I see the tents of Kal- mucks and Baskirs;
I see the nomadic tribes, with herds of oxen and cows;
I see the table-lands notch'd with ravines — I see the jungles and deserts;
I see the camel, the wild steed, the bustard, the fat- tail'd sheep, the antelope, and the burrowing wolf.
21 I see the high-lands of Abyssinia;
I see flocks of goats feeding, and see the fig-tree, tamarind, date,
And see fields of teff-wheat, and see the places of verdure and gold.
22 I see the Brazilian vaquero;
I see the Bolivian ascending Mount Sorata;
I see the Wacho crossing the plains — I see the incom- parable rider of horses with his lasso on his arm;
I see over the pampas the pursuit of wild cattle for their hides.
| Leaves of grass. | |