University of Virginia Library

12   Souls of men and women! it is not you I call un-     seen, unheard, untouchable and untouching;
It is not you I go argue pro and con about, and to      settle whether you are alive or no;
I own publicly who you are, if nobody else owns.
13  Grown, half-grown, and babe, of this country and      every country, indoors and outdoors, one just      as much as the other, I see,
And all else behind or through them.
14  The wife — and she is not one jot less than the      husband;
The daughter — and she is just as good as the son;
The mother — and she is every bit as much as the      father.
15  Offspring of ignorant and poor, boys apprenticed to      trades,
Young fellows working on farms, and old fellows      working on farms,
Sailor-men, merchant-men, coasters, immigrants,
All these I see — but nigher and farther the same I      see;
None shall escape me, and none shall wish to escape      me.
16  I bring what you much need, yet always have,
Not money, amours, dress, eating, but as good;
I send no agent or medium, offer no representative of      value, but offer the value itself.
17   There is something that comes home to one now      and perpetually;
It is not what is printed, preach'd, discuss'd — it eludes      discussion and print;
It is not to be put in a book — it is not in this book;
It is for you, whoever you are — it is no farther from      you than your hearing and sight are from you;
It is hinted by nearest, commonest; readiest — it is      ever provoked by them.
18  You may read in many languages, yet read nothing      about it;
You may read the President's Message, and read      nothing about it there;
Nothing in the reports from the State department or      Treasury department, or in the daily papers or      the weekly papers,
Or in the census or revenue returns, prices current,      or any accounts of stock.