With her ample back towards every beholder, 50 With the fascinations of youth, and the equal fascinations of age, Sits she whom I too love like the rest-sits undisturb'd, Holding up in her hand what has the character of a mirror, while her eyes glance back from it,1 2 Glance as she sits, inviting none, denying none, Holding a mirror day and night tirelessly before her own face. 7 Seen at hand, or seen at a distance, Duly the twenty-four appear in public every day, Duly approach and pass with their companions, or a companion, Looking from no countenances of their own, but from the countenances of those who are with them, From the countenances of children or women, or the manly 60 countenance, From the open countenances of animals, or from inanimate things, From the landscape or waters, or from the exquisite apparition of the sky, From our countenances, mine and yours, faithfully returning them, Every day in public appearing without fail, but never twice with the same companions. 8 Embracing man, embracing all, proceed the three hundred and sixty-five resistlessly round the sun; Embracing all, soothing, supporting, follow close three hundred and sixty-five offsets of the first, sure and necessary as they. 9 Tumbling on steadily, nothing dreading, Sunshine, storm, cold, heat, forever withstanding, passing, car rying, The Soul's realization and determination still inheriting, The fluid vacuum around and ahead still entering and dividing, 1 1856 reads "her eyes glancing back from it." 2 1856 reads "Glancing thence as she sits." 70 No balk retarding, no anchor anchoring, on no rock striking, Swift, glad, content, unbereav'd, nothing losing, Of all able and ready at any time to give strict account, The divine ship sails the divine sea. ΙΟ Whoever you are! motion and reflection are especially for you; The divine ship sails the divine sea for you. Whoever you are! you are he or she for whom the earth is solid and liquid, You are he or she for whom the sun and moon hang in the sky, 80 II Each man to himself, and each woman to herself, such' is the word of the past and present, and the word of immortality; No2 one can acquire for another-not one! Not one can grow for another-not one! The song is to the singer, and comes back most to him; The gift is to the giver, and comes back most to him-it cannot fail; The oration is to the orator, the acting is to the actor and actress, not to the audience; 90 And no man understands any greatness or goodness but his own, or the indication of his own. 12 I swear the earth shall surely be complete to him or her who shall be complete! I swear the earth remains jagged and broken only to him or her who remains jagged and broken! 1 "such" added in 1867. 2 1856. For "No" reads "Not." I swear there is no greatness or power that does not emulate those of the earth! I swear there can be no theory of any account, unless it corroborate the theory of the earth! No politics, art, religion, behavior, or what not, is of account, unless it compare with the amplitude of the earth, Unless it face the exactness, vitality, impartiality, rectitude of the earth. 13 I swear I begin to see love with sweeter spasms than that which responds love! It is that which contains itself—which never invites, and never refuses. I swear I begin to see little or nothing in audible words! 100 I swear I think all merges toward the presentation of the unspoken meanings of the earth! Toward him who sings the songs of the Body, and of the truths of the earth; Toward him who makes the dictionaries of1 words that print cannot touch. 14 I swear I see what is better than to tell the best; It is always to leave the best untold. When I undertake to tell the best, I find I cannot, My tongue is ineffectual on its pivots, My breath will not be obedient to its organs, I become a dumb man. The best of the earth cannot be told anyhow-all or any is best; ΙΙΟ It is not what you anticipated-it is cheaper, easier, nearer; before; But the Soul is also real,-it too is positive and direct; No reasoning, no proof has establish'd it, Undeniable growth has establish'd it. 1 1856 '60 read "of the words." 15 This is a poem-a carol of words'—these are hints of meanings, These are to echo the tones of Souls, and the phrases of Souls; If they did not echo the phrases of Souls, what were they then? 120 If they had not reference to you in especial, what were they then? I swear I will never henceforth have to do with the faith that tells the best! I will have to do only with that faith that leaves the best untold. Say on, sayers !s 16 Delve! mould! pile the words of the earth! Work on-(it is materials you must bring, not breaths;)" It may have to wait long, but it will certainly come in use; I swear to you the architects shall appear without fail! I announce them and lead them; 130 I swear to you they will understand you, and justify you; I swear to you the greatest among them shall be he who best knows you, and encloses all, and is faithful to all; I swear to you, he and the rest shall not forget you-they shall perceive that you are not an iota less than they; I swear to you, you shall be glorified in them. AH POVERTIES, WINCINGS, AND SULKY RETREATS. First published in "When Lilacs Last In The Door-yard Bloomed," 1865 '66. Ан poverties, wincings, and sulky retreats! Ah you foes that in conflict have overcome me ! (For what is my life, or any man's life, but a conflict with foes -the old, the incessant war?) 1 For "a carol of words" 1856 reads “for the sayers of the earth.” 1860 '67 read "for the sayers of words." 2 1856 '60 '67 read "These are they that echo." 1856 reads "Say on Sayers of the earth!"' 1856 reads "substantial words," etc. 5 Line 126 added in 1860. You degradations-you tussle with passions and appetites; You smarts from dissatisfied friendships, (ah wounds, the sharpest of all ;) You toil of painful and choked articulations—you meannesses; You shallow tongue-talks at tables, (my tongue the shallowest of any ;) You broken resolutions, you racking angers, you smother'd ennuis; Ah, think not you finally triumph-My real self has yet to come forth; It shall yet march forth o'ermastering, till all lies beneath me; It shall yet stand up the soldier of unquestion'd victory. ΙΟ A BOSTON BALLAD. (1854.) First published in 1855. In edition of 1856 under title of " Poem of Apparitions in Boston, the 78th Year of These States." In 1860 under title of "A Boston Ballad the 78th Year of These States." To get betimes in Boston town, I rose this morning early; Here's a good place at the corner-I must stand and see the show. Clear the way there, Jonathan !2 Way for the President's marshal! Way for the government cannon! Way for the Federal foot and dragoons-and the apparitions copiously tumbling." I love to look on the stars and stripes-I hope the fifes will play Yankee Doodle. How bright shine the cutlasses of the foremost troops !* town. 1 1855 '56 '60 read "I rose this morning early to get betimes in Boston town. etc. 2 In 1855 '56'60 lines 3, 4 and 5 begin the poem, lines 1 and 2 following. 1855 reads " and the phantoms afterward" for "and the apparitions," 1855 reads "How bright shine the foremost with cutlasses." |