And it seems to me if I could know those men,' I should become attached to them, as I do to men in my own lands;2 O I know we should be brethren and lovers, I know I should be happy with them. I HEAR IT WAS CHARGED AGAINST ME. I HEAR it was charged against me that I sought to destroy inst: tutions; But really I am neither for nor against institutions; (What indeed have I in common with them ?-Or what with the destruction of them ?) Only I will establish in the Mannahatta, and in every city of These States, inland and seaboard, And in the fields and woods, and above every keel, little or large, that dents the water, Without edifices, or rules, or trustees, or any argument, THE PRAIRIE-GRASS DIVIDING. First published in 1860. THE prairie-grass dividing-its special odor breathing,* Demand the most copious and close companionship of men, Those of the open atmosphere, coarse, sunlit, fresh, nutritious, Those that go their own gait, erect, stepping with freedom and command-leading, not following, Those with a never-quell'd audacity—those with sweet and lusty flesh, clear of taint, 5 Those that look carelessly in the faces of Presidents and Governors, as to say, Who are you? Those of earth-born passion, simple, never-constrain'd, never obedient, Those of inland America. 1 1860 reads "know those men better." ΙΟ 2 1860. After line 4 reads "It seems to me they are as wise, beautiful, benevolent, as any in my own lands," etc. 3 1860. For "was read "is." 1860 reads "Its own odor breathing." 5 1860 adds "choice and chary of its love-power." WE TWO BOYS TOGETHER CLINGING. First published in 1860. WE two boys together clinging, One the other never leaving, Up and down the roads going-North and South excursions making, Power enjoying-elbows stretching-fingers clutching, Arm'd and fearless-eating, drinking, sleeping, loving, No law less than ourselves owning-sailing, soldiering, thieving, threatening, Misers, menials, priests alarming—air breathing, water drinking, on the turf or the sea-beach dancing,' Cities wrenching, ease scorning, statutes mocking, feebleness chasing, Fulfilling our foray. A PROMISE TO CALIFORNIA. First published in 1860. A PROMISE to California,2 Also to the great Pastoral Plains, and for Oregon : Sojourning east a while longer, soon I travel toward3 you, to remain, to teach robust American love; For I know very well that I and robust love belong among you, inland, and along the Western Sea; For These States tend inland, and toward the Western Sea-and I will also. HERE THE FRAILEST LEAVES OF ME. First published in 1860. "HERE the frailest leaves of me, and yet my strongest-lasting: Here I shade and hide my thoughts-I myself do not expose them, And yet they expose me more than all my other poems. 1 1860. After line 7 adds " With birds singing-With fishes swimmingWith trees branching and leafing." 2 1860 reads "A promise and gift to California." 1860 reads "travel to you." 1860 begins "Here my last words, and the most baffling.' 1860 '67 read "Here I shade down and hide my thoughts-I do not ex. pose them." WHEN I PERUSE THE CONQUER’D FAME. First published in 1860. WHEN I peruse the conquer'd fame of heroes, and the victories of mighty generals, I do not envy the generals, Nor the President in his Presidency, nor the rich in his great house; But when I hear' of the brotherhood of lovers, how it was with them, How through life, through dangers, odium, unchanging, long and long, Through youth, and through middle and old age, how unfaltering, how affectionate and faithful they were, Then I am pensive-I hastily' walk away, fill'd with the bitterest envy. WHAT THINK YOU I TAKE MY PEN IN HAND? First published in 1860. WHAT think you I take my pen in hand to record? The battle-ship, perfect-model'd, majestic, that I saw pass the offing to-day under full sail? The splendors of the past day? Or the splendor of the night that envelopes me? Or the vaunted glory and growth of the great city spread around me?—No; But I record of two simple men I saw to-day, on the pier, in the midst of the crowd, parting the parting of dear friends; The one to remain hung on the other's neck, and passionately kiss'd him, While the one to depart, tightly prest the one to remain in his arms. A GLIMPSE. A GLIMPSE, through an interstice caught,3 Of a crowd of workmen and drivers in a bar-room, around the stove, late of a winter night—And I unremark'd seated in a corner; 1 1860 '67 read "When I read," etc. 3 1860 '67 read "I hastily put down the book and walk away,' etc. $ 1860 reads "One flitting glimpse, caught through an interstice." Of a youth who loves me, and whom I love, silently approaching, and seating himself near, that he may hold me by the hand; A long while, amid the noises of coming and going-of drinking and oath and smutty jest, There we two, content, happy in being together, speaking little, perhaps not a word. NO LABOR-SAVING MACHINE. First published in 1860. No labor-saving machine, Nor discovery have I made; Nor will I be able to leave behind me any wealthy bequest to found a hospital or library, Nor reminiscence of any deed of courage, for America, Nor literary success, nor intellect-nor book for the book-shelf; Only a few carols, vibrating through the air, I leave, For comrades and lovers. A LEAF FOR HAND IN HAND. First published in 1860. A LEAF for hand in hand! You natural persons old and young!1 You on the Mississippi, and on all the branches and bayous of the Mississippi! You friendly boatmen and mechanics! You roughs! You twain! And all processions moving along the streets! I wish to infuse myself among you till I see it common for you to walk hand in hand! TO THE EAST AND TO THE WEST First published in 1860. To the East and to the West ;' To the man of the Seaside State, and of Pennsylvania, To the Kanadian of the North--to the Southerner I love; in all men ; 1 1860 adds "You on the eastern sea and you on the western!"' I believe the main purport of These States is to found a superb friendship, exalté, previously unknown, Because I perceive it waits, and has been always waiting, latent in all men. EARTH! MY LIKENESS! EARTH! my likeness! First published in 1860. Though you look so impassive, ample and spheric there, I now suspect there is something fierce in you, eligible to burst forth; For an athlete is enamour'd of me—and I of him; But toward him there is something fierce and terrible in me, eligible to burst forth, I dare not tell it in words-not even in these songs. I DREAM'D IN A DREAM. First published in 1860. I DREAM'D in a dream, I saw a city invincible to the attacks of the whole of the rest of the earth; I dream'd that was the new City of Friends; Nothing was greater there than the quality of robust love-it led the rest; It was seen every hour in the actions of the men of that city, And in all their looks and words. FAST ANCHOR'D, ETERNAL, O LOVE! First published in 1867. FAST-ANCHOR'D, eternal, O love! O woman I love! O bride! O wife! more resistless than I can tell, the thought of you! -Then separate, as disembodied, or another born, |