University of Virginia Library

DEBRIS.

[He is wisest who has the most caution]

He is wisest who has the most caution,
He only wins who goes far enough.

[Any thing is as good as established, when that is established that will produce it and continue it]

Any thing is as good as established, when that is established that will produce it and continue it.

[What General has a good army in himself, has a good army]

What General has a good army in himself, has a good army;
He happy in himself, or she happy in herself, is happy,
But I tell you you cannot be happy by others, any more than you can beget or conceive a child by others.

[Have you learned lessons only of those who admired you, and were tender with you, and stood aside for you?]

Have you learned lessons only of those who admired you, and were tender with you, and stood aside for you?
Have you not learned the great lessons of those who rejected you, and braced themselves against you? or who treated you with contempt, or disputed the passage with you?
Have you had no practice to receive opponents when they come?

[Despairing cries float ceaselessly toward me, day and night]

Despairing cries float ceaselessly toward me, day and night,
The sad voice of Death—the call of my nearest lover, putting forth, alarmed, uncertain,
This sea I am quickly to sail, come tell me,
Come tell me where I am speeding—tell me my destination.

[I understand your anguish, but I cannot help you]

I understand your anguish, but I cannot help you,
I approach, hear, behold—the sad mouth, the look out of the eyes, your mute inquiry,
Whither I go from the bed I now recline on, come tell me;
Old age, alarmed, uncertain—A young woman's voice appealing to me, for comfort,
A young man's voice, Shall I not escape?

[A thousand perfect men and women appear]

A thousand perfect men and women appear,
Around each gathers a cluster of friends, and gay children and youths, with offerings.

[A mask—a perpetual natural disguiser of herself]

A mask—a perpetual natural disguiser of herself,
Concealing her face, concealing her form,
Changes and transformations every hour, every moment,
Falling upon her even when she sleeps.

[One sweeps by, attended by an immense train]

One sweeps by, attended by an immense train,
All emblematic of peace—not a soldier or menial among them.

[One sweeps by, old, with black eyes, and profuse white hair]

One sweeps by, old, with black eyes, and profuse white hair,
He has the simple magnificence of health and strength,
His face strikes as with flashes of lightning whoever it turns toward.

[Three old men slowly pass, followed by three others, and they by three others]

Three old men slowly pass, followed by three others, and they by three others,
They are beautiful—the one in the middle of each group holds his companions by the hand,
As they walk, they give out perfume wherever they walk.

[Women sit, or move to and fro—some old, some young]

Women sit, or move to and fro—some old, some young,
The young are beautiful—but the old are more beautiful than the young.

[What weeping face is that looking from the window?]

What weeping face is that looking from the window?
Why does it stream those sorrowful tears?
Is it for some burial place, vast and dry?
Is it to wet the soil of graves?

[I will take an egg out of the robin's nest in the orchard]

I will take an egg out of the robin's nest in the orchard,
I will take a branch of gooseberries from the old bush in the garden, and go and preach to the world;
You shall see I will not meet a single heretic or scorner,
You shall see how I stump clergymen, and confound them,
You shall see me showing a scarlet tomato, and a white pebble from the beach.

[Behavior—fresh, native, copious, each one for himself or herself]

Behavior—fresh, native, copious, each one for himself or herself,
Nature and the Soul expressed—America and freedom expressed—In it the finest art,
In it pride, cleanliness, sympathy, to have their chance,
In it physique, intellect, faith—in it just as much as to manage an army or a city, or to write a book—perhaps more,
The youth, the laboring person, the poor person, rivalling all the rest—perhaps outdoing the rest,
The effects of the universe no greater than its;
For there is nothing in the whole universe that can be more effective than a man's or woman's daily behavior can be,
In any position, in any one of These States.

[Not the pilot has charged himself to bring his ship into port, though beaten back, and many times baffled]

Not the pilot has charged himself to bring his ship into port, though beaten back, and many times baffled,
Not the path-finder, penetrating inland, weary and long,
By deserts parched, snows chilled, rivers wet, perseveres till he reaches his destination,
More than I have charged myself, heeded or unheeded, to compose a free march for These States,
To be exhilarating music to them, years, centuries hence.

[I thought I was not alone, walking here by the shore]

I thought I was not alone, walking here by the shore,
But the one I thought was with me, as now I walk by the shore,
As I lean and look through the glimmering light—that one has utterly disappeared,
And those appear that perplex me.