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 | Leaves of grass (1872) |  |
21
106
I am the poet of the Body;And I am the poet of the Soul.
107
The pleasures of heaven are with me, and the pains of hell are with me;The first I graft and increase upon myself—the latter I translate into a new tongue.
108
I am the poet of the woman the same as the man;And I say it is as great to be a woman as to be a man;
And I say there is nothing greater than the mother of men.
109
I chant the chant of dilation or pride;We have had ducking and deprecating about enough;
I show that size is only development.
110
Have you outstript the rest? Are you the President?51
111
I am he that walks with the tender and growing night;I call to the earth and sea, half-held by the night.
112
Press close, bare-bosom'd night! Press close, magnetic, nourishing night!Night of south winds! night of the large few stars!
Still, nodding night! mad, naked, summer night.
113
Smile, O voluptuous, cool-breath'd earth!Earth of the slumbering and liquid trees;
Earth of departed sunset! earth of the mountains, misty-topt!
Earth of the vitreous pour of the full moon, just tinged with blue!
Earth of shine and dark, mottling the tide of the river!
Earth of the limpid gray of clouds, brighter and clearer for my sake!
Far-swooping elbow'd earth! rich, apple-blossom'd earth!
Smile, for your lover comes!
114
Prodigal, you have given me love! Therefore I to you give love!O unspeakable, passionate love!
| Leaves of grass (1872) | |