 | Leaves of grass. |  |
LEAVES OF GRASS.
1
1 O ME, man of slack faith so long!
Standing aloof — denying portions so long;
Only aware to-day of compact, all-diffused truth;
Discovering to-day there is no lie, or form of lie, and can be none, but grows as inevitably upon it- self as the truth does upon itself,
Or as any law of the earth, or any natural production of the earth does.
2 (This is curious, and may not be realized immedi- ately — But it must be realized;
I feel in myself that I represent falsehoods equally with the rest,
And that the universe does.)
3 Where has fail'd a perfect return, indifferent of lies or the truth?
Is it upon the ground, or in water or fire? or in the spirit of man? or in the meat and blood?
4 Meditating among liars, and retreating sternly into myself, I see that there are really no liars or lies after all,
And that nothing fails its perfect return — And that what are called lies are perfect returns,
And that each thing exactly represents itself, and what has preceded it,
And that the truth includes all, and is compact, just as much as space is compact,
And that there is no flaw or vacuum in the amount of
the truth
— but that all is truth without
ex- ception;
And henceforth I will go celebrate anything I see or am,
And sing and laugh, and deny nothing.
Standing aloof — denying portions so long;
Only aware to-day of compact, all-diffused truth;
Discovering to-day there is no lie, or form of lie, and can be none, but grows as inevitably upon it- self as the truth does upon itself,
Or as any law of the earth, or any natural production of the earth does.
2 (This is curious, and may not be realized immedi- ately — But it must be realized;
I feel in myself that I represent falsehoods equally with the rest,
And that the universe does.)
3 Where has fail'd a perfect return, indifferent of lies or the truth?
Is it upon the ground, or in water or fire? or in the spirit of man? or in the meat and blood?
4 Meditating among liars, and retreating sternly into myself, I see that there are really no liars or lies after all,
And that nothing fails its perfect return — And that what are called lies are perfect returns,
And that each thing exactly represents itself, and what has preceded it,
And that the truth includes all, and is compact, just as much as space is compact,
23c
And henceforth I will go celebrate anything I see or am,
And sing and laugh, and deny nothing.
2.
FORMS, qualities, lives,
humanity, language, thoughts,
The ones known, and the ones unknown — the ones on the stars,
The stars themselves, some shaped, others unshaped,
Wonders as of those countries — the soil, trees, cities, inhabitants, whatever they may be,
Splendid suns, the moons and rings, the countless combinations and effects;
Such-like, and as good as such-like, visible here or anywhere, stand provided for in a handful of space, which I extend my arm and half enclose with my hand;
That contains the start of each and all — the virtue, the germs of all.
The ones known, and the ones unknown — the ones on the stars,
The stars themselves, some shaped, others unshaped,
Wonders as of those countries — the soil, trees, cities, inhabitants, whatever they may be,
Splendid suns, the moons and rings, the countless combinations and effects;
Such-like, and as good as such-like, visible here or anywhere, stand provided for in a handful of space, which I extend my arm and half enclose with my hand;
That contains the start of each and all — the virtue, the germs of all.
3.
1 Now I make a
leaf of Voices — for I have found
nothing
mightier than they are,
And I have found that no word spoken, but is beauti- ful, in its place.
2 O what is it in me that makes me tremble so at voices?
Surely, whoever speaks to me in the right voice, him or her I shall follow,
As the water follows the moon, silently, with fluid
steps any
where around the globe.
3 All waits for the right voices;
Where is the practis'd and perfect organ? Where is the develop'd Soul?
For I see every word utter'd thence has deeper, sweeter, new sounds, impossible on less terms.
4 I see brains and lips closed — tympans and temples unstruck,
Until that comes which has the quality to strike and to unclose,
Until that comes which has the quality ot bring forth what lies slumbering, forever ready, in all words.
And I have found that no word spoken, but is beauti- ful, in its place.
2 O what is it in me that makes me tremble so at voices?
Surely, whoever speaks to me in the right voice, him or her I shall follow,
24c
3 All waits for the right voices;
Where is the practis'd and perfect organ? Where is the develop'd Soul?
For I see every word utter'd thence has deeper, sweeter, new sounds, impossible on less terms.
4 I see brains and lips closed — tympans and temples unstruck,
Until that comes which has the quality to strike and to unclose,
Until that comes which has the quality ot bring forth what lies slumbering, forever ready, in all words.
4.
1 WHAT am I, after all, but a child,
pleased with the
sound of my
own name? repeating it over and
over;
I stand apart to hear — it never tires me.
2 To you, your name also,
Did you think there was nothing but two or three pro- nunciations in the sound of your name?
I stand apart to hear — it never tires me.
2 To you, your name also,
Did you think there was nothing but two or three pro- nunciations in the sound of your name?
5
LOCATIONS and times —
what is it in me that meets them
all, whenever
and wherever, and makes me at
home?
Forms, colors, densities, odors — what is it in me that corresponds with them?
Forms, colors, densities, odors — what is it in me that corresponds with them?
25c
| Leaves of grass. | |