University of Virginia Library

UNFOLDED out of the folds of the woman, man comes
     unfolded, as is always to come unfolded,
Unfolded only out of the superbest woman of the
     earth, is to come the superbest man of the earth,
Unfolded out of the friendliest woman, is to come
     the friendliest man,
Unfolded only out of the perfect body of a woman,
     can a man be formed of perfect body,
Unfolded only out of the inimitable poem of the
     woman, can come the poems of man—only
     thence have my poems come,
Unfolded out of the strong and arrogant woman I
     love, only thence can appear the strong and
     arrogant man I love,
Unfolded by brawny embraces from the well-muscled
     woman I love, only thence come the brawny
     embraces of the man,
Unfolded out of the folds of the woman's brain, come
     all the folds of the man's brain, duly obedient,
Unfolded out of the justice of the woman, all justice
     is unfolded,
Unfolded out of the sympathy of the woman is all
     sympathy;
A man is a great thing upon the earth, and through
     eternity—but every jot of the greatness of man
     is unfolded out of woman,
First the man is shaped in the woman, he can then be
     shaped in himself.