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Leaves of grass. | ||
7
19 A man's Body at
auction;
I help the auctioneer — the sloven does not half know his business.
20 Gentlemen, look on this wonder!
Whatever the bids of the bidders, they cannot be high enough for it;
For it the globe lay preparing quintillions of years, without one animal or plant;
For it the revolving cycles truly and steadily roll'd.
21 In this head the all-baffling brain;
In it and below it, the makings of heroes.
22 Examine these limbs, red, black, or white — they are so cunning in tendon and nerve;
They shall be stript, that you may see them.
23 Exquisite senses, life-lit eyes, pluck, volition,
Flakes of breast-muscle, pliant back-bone and neck, flesh not flabby, good sized arms and legs,
And wonders within there yet.
24 Within there runs blood,
The same old blood!
The same red-running blood!
There swells and jets a heart — there all passions, de- sires, reachings, aspirations;
Do you think they are not there because they are not express'd in parlors and lecture — rooms?
25 This is not only one
man — this is the father of those
who shall
be fathers in their turns;
In him the start of populous states and rich republics;
Of him countless immortal lives, with countless em- bodiments and enjoyments.
26 How do you know who shall come from the off- spring of his offspring through the centuries?
Who might you find you have come from yourself, if you could trace back through the centuries?
I help the auctioneer — the sloven does not half know his business.
20 Gentlemen, look on this wonder!
Whatever the bids of the bidders, they cannot be high enough for it;
For it the globe lay preparing quintillions of years, without one animal or plant;
For it the revolving cycles truly and steadily roll'd.
21 In this head the all-baffling brain;
In it and below it, the makings of heroes.
22 Examine these limbs, red, black, or white — they are so cunning in tendon and nerve;
They shall be stript, that you may see them.
23 Exquisite senses, life-lit eyes, pluck, volition,
Flakes of breast-muscle, pliant back-bone and neck, flesh not flabby, good sized arms and legs,
And wonders within there yet.
24 Within there runs blood,
The same old blood!
The same red-running blood!
There swells and jets a heart — there all passions, de- sires, reachings, aspirations;
Do you think they are not there because they are not express'd in parlors and lecture — rooms?
105
In him the start of populous states and rich republics;
Of him countless immortal lives, with countless em- bodiments and enjoyments.
26 How do you know who shall come from the off- spring of his offspring through the centuries?
Who might you find you have come from yourself, if you could trace back through the centuries?
Leaves of grass. | ||