Chants of the long-running Mississippi, and down to the Mexi can sea; Chants of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin and Minne sota ; Chants going forth from the centre, from Kansas, and thence, equi-distant, Shooting in pulses of fire, ceaseless, to vivify all. In the Year 80 of The States, 4. My tongue, every atom of my blood, form'd from this soil, this air, Born here of parents born here,' from parents the same, and their parents the same, I, now thirty-six years old, in perfect health, begin, Creeds and schools in abeyance, 50 (Retiring back a while, sufficed at what they are, but never forgotten,)2 I harbor, for good or bad-I permit to speak, at every hazard. Nature now without check, with original energy. 5 Take my leaves, America ! take them, South, and take them, North! Make welcome for them everywhere, for they are your own off spring; Surround them, East and West! for they would surround you: And you precedents! connect lovingly with them, for they connect lovingly with you. I conn'd old times; I sat studying at the feet of the great masters: Now, if eligible, O that the great masters might return and study me! In the name of These States, shall I scorn the antique? 1 1860. "From" begins new line. 60 2 1860. After line 51 reads " With accumulations, now coming forward in front, arrived again, I harbor, for good or bad-I permit to speak.” "take them, South, and take them, North!" added in 1867. Dead poets, philosophs, priests, 6 Martyrs, artists, inventors, governments long since, Nations once powerful, now reduced, withdrawn, or desolate, I dare not proceed till I respectfully credit what you have left, wafted hither: I have perused it' own it is admirable, (moving awhile among it ;) Think nothing can ever be greater-nothing can ever deserve more than it deserves; Regarding it all intently a long while3-then dismissing it, 70 I stand in my place, with my own day, here. Here lands female and male; Here the heir-ship and heiress-ship of the world-here the flame of materials; Here Spirituality, the translatress, the openly-avow'd, The ever-tending, the finale of visible forms; The satisfier, after due long-waiting, now advancing, The SOUL: 7 Forever and forever-longer than soil is brown and solid-longer than water ebbs and flows. I will make the poems of materials, for I think they are to be the most spiritual poems; 80 And I will make the poems of my body and of mortality, I will make a song for These States, that no one State may under any circumstances be subjected to another State; And I will make a song that there shall be comity by day and by night between all The States, and between any two of them :* 1 1860 reads "I own," etc. (moving awhile among it ;) added in 1867. 2 1860 reads "I think," etc. 31860 reads "I regard it all intently a long while, Then take my place for good with my own day and race here." 1860. After line 85 reads " And I will make a song of the organic bargains of These States-And a shrill song of curses on him who would dissever the Union." And I will make a song for the ears of the President, full of weapons with menacing points, And behind the weapons countless dissatisfied faces : The fang'd and glittering One whose head is over all ;' (However high the head of any else, that head is over all.) 90 I will acknowledge contemporary lands; I will trail the whole geography of the globe, and salute courteously every city large and small; And employments! I will put in my poems, that with you is heroism, upon land and sea; And I will report all heroism from an American point of view. I will sing the song of companionship; I will show what alone must finally compact These ; I believe These are to found their own ideal of manly love, indicating it in me; I will therefore let flame from me the burning fires that were threatening to consume me; I will lift what has too long kept down those smouldering fires; I will give them complete abandonment; 100 I will write the evangel-poem of comrades, and of love; (For who but I should understand love, with all its sorrow and joy? And who but I should be the poet of comrades?) 8 I am the credulous man of qualities, ages, races; Omnes! Omnes! let others ignore what they may; 4 I make the poem of evil also-I commemorate that part also; (Or if there is, I say it is just as important to you, to the land," or to me, as anything else.) 1 Lines 88-90 added in 1867. 2 1860 '67. After line 94 read line 179 this edition. $ 1860 '67. After "people" read " "and my nation is " added in 1867. 1860. For "land" reads "earth." en-masse." I too, following many, and follow'd by many, inaugurate a Religion-I descend into the arena ;1 (It may be I am destin'd to utter the loudest cries there,' the winner's pealing shouts ; Who knows? they may rise from me yet, and soar above every thing.) Each is not for its own sake; I say the whole earth, and all the stars in the sky, are for Religion's sake. I say no man has ever yet been half devout enough; None has begun to think how divine he himself is, and how certain the future is. I say that the real and permanent grandeur of These States must be their Religion; Otherwise there is no real and permanent grandeur : 120 (Nor character, nor life worthy the name, without Religion;" Nor land, nor man or woman, without Religion.) 9 What are you doing, young man ? Are you so earnest-so given up to literature, science, art, amours? These ostensible realities, politics,' points? Your ambition or business, whatever it may be? It is well-Against such I say not a word—I am their poet also; But behold! such swiftly subside-burnt up for Religion's sake; For not all matter is fuel to heat, impalpable flame, the essential life of the earth, Any more than such are to Religion. 130 1 1860 '67. For "I descend into the arena " read "I too go to the wars." 2 1860'67. For "there" read "thereof." 3 1860 reads "the conqueror's shouts." "Who knows?" added in 1867. 5 1860. For "I say " reads "I specifically announce." Lines 121-2 added in 1867. 7 1860. For "politics" reads "materials." ΙΟ What do you seek, so pensive and silent? What do you need, Camerado? Dear son!' do you think it is love? Listen, dear son-listen, America, daughter or son ! It is a painful thing to love a man or woman to excess--and yet it satisfies-it is great; But there is something else very great—it makes the whole coincide; It, magnificent, beyond materials, with continuous hands, sweeps and provides for all. II Know you! solely to drop in the earth the germs of a greater Religion, The following chants, each for its kind, I sing.3 My comrade! 140 For you, to share with me, two greatnesses-and a third one, rising inclusive and more resplendent, The greatness of Love and Democracy-and the greatness of Religion. Melange mine own! the unseen and the seen ;* Mysterious ocean where the streams empty; Prophetic spirit of materials shifting and flickering around me ;5 Living beings, identities, now doubtless near us, in the air, that we know not of ; Contact daily and hourly that will not release me ; These selecting-these, in hints, demanded of me. Not he, with a daily kiss, onward from childhood kissing me," 1 1860 reads "Mon cher !" 2 1860. 3 1860. drop in the 1860. 5 1860. unseen.' 6 1860. me." For line 134 reads " Proceed, comrade." Lines 138-139 read "O I see the following poems are indeed to Line 143 reads “Melange mine!" "Own," etc., added in 1867. After line 146 reads "Extasy everywhere touching and thrilling 1860 reads "Not he, adhesive, kissing me so long with his daily kiss." |