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 | Leaves of grass. |  |
9
29 What are you doing,
young man?
Are you so earnest — so given up to literature, science, art, amours?
These ostensible realities, politics, points?
Your ambition or business, whatever it may be?
30 It is well — Against such I say not a word — I am their poet also;
But behold! such swiftly subside — burnt up for Re- ligion's sake;
For not all matter is fuel to heat, impalpable flame, the essential life of the earth,
Any more than such are to Religion.
Are you so earnest — so given up to literature, science, art, amours?
These ostensible realities, politics, points?
Your ambition or business, whatever it may be?
30 It is well — Against such I say not a word — I am their poet also;
But behold! such swiftly subside — burnt up for Re- ligion's sake;
For not all matter is fuel to heat, impalpable flame, the essential life of the earth,
Any more than such are to Religion.
| Leaves of grass. | |