No consummation exists without being from some long previous consummation-and that from some other,

Without the farthest conceivable one coming a bit nearer the beginning than any.

7

Whatever satisfies Souls is true;

Prudence entirely satisfies the craving and glut of Souls;

Itself only finally satisfies the Soul;

The Soul has that measureless pride which revolts from every lesson but its own.

Now I give you an inkling ;

8

40

Now I breathe the word of the prudence that walks abreast with

time, space, reality,

That answers the pride which refuses every lesson but its own.

What is prudence, is indivisible,

Declines to separate one part of life from every part,

Divides not the righteous from the unrighteous, or the living from the dead,

Matches every thought or act by its correlative,

Knows no possible forgiveness, or deputed atonement, Knows that the young man who composedly peril'd his life and lost it, has done exceedingly well for himself without doubt, That he who never peril'd his life, but retains it to old age in riches and ease, has probably achiev'd nothing for himself worth mentioning;

50

Knows that only that person has really learn'd, who has learn'd to prefer results,

Who favors Body and Soul the same,

Who perceives the indirect assuredly following the direct,

Who in his spirit in any emergency whatever neither hurries or, avoids death.

ALL IS TRUTH.

First published in 1860.

O ME, man of slack faith so long!

Standing aloof-denying portions so long ;'
Only aware to-day of compact, all-diffused truth;

1 "entirely added in 1860.

2 After line 2, 1860 reads "We with mole's eyes, unrisen to buoyancy and vision unfree."

Discovering to-day there is no lie, or form of lie, and can be none, but grows as inevitably upon itself as the truth

does upon itself,

Or as any law of the earth, or any natural production of the earth does.

(This is curious, and may not be realized immediately-But it must be realized;

I feel in myself that I represent falsehoods equally with the rest, And that the universe does.)

Where has fail'd a perfect return, indifferent of lies or the truth?

Is it upon the ground, or in water or fire? or in the spirit of man? or in the meat and blood?

ΙΟ

Meditating among liars, and retreating sternly into myself, I see that there are really no liars or lies after all,

And that nothing fails its perfect return-And that what are called lies are perfect returns,

And that each thing exactly represents itself, and what has preceded it,

And that the truth includes all, and is compact, just as much as space is compact,

And that there is no flaw or vacuum in the amount of the truth -but that all is truth without exception;

And henceforth I will go celebrate anything I see or am,
And sing and laugh, and deny nothing.

VOICES.

First published in 1860.

Now I make a leaf of Voices-for I have found nothing mightier

than they are,

And I have found that no word spoken, but is beautiful, in its

place.

O what is it in me that makes me tremble so at voices? Surely, whoever speaks to me in the right voice. him or her I shall follow,

As the water follows the moon, silently, with fluid steps, anywhere around the globe.

All waits for the right voices ;1

Where is the practis'd and perfect organ? Where is the develop'd Soul?

For I see every word utter'd thence, has deeper, sweeter, new sounds, impossible on less terms.

I see brains and lips closed-tympans and temples unstruck, Until that comes which has the quality to strike and to

unclose,

ΙΟ

Until that comes which has the quality to bring forth what lies slumbering, forever ready, in all words.

MARCHES NOW THE WAR IS OVER.

AS I SAT ALONE BY BLUE ONTARIO'S SHORE.
First published in 1856, under title of "Poem of Many in One."

12

As I sat alone, by blue Ontario's shore,

As I mused of these mighty days, and of peace return'd, and

the dead that return no more,

A Phantom, gigantic, superb, with stern visage, accosted me; Chant me the poem, it said, that comes from the soul of Americachant me the carol of victory;

And strike up the marches of Libertad—marches more powerful yet,

And sing me before you go, the song of the throes of Democ

racy.

(Democracy-the destin'd conqueror-yet creacherous lipsmiles everywhere,

And Death and infidelity at every step.)

1 1860 reads "Now I believe that all waits," etc.

2 Lines 1-8 added in "Songs Before Parting."

For lines 5 and 6, "Songs Before Parting" reads “Chant me a poem, it said, of the range of the high soul of the poets,

And chant of the welcome bards, that breathe but my native air-and invoke

those bards."

"Songs Before Parting." For "sing" reads "chant."

2

A Nation announcing itself,'

I myself make the only growth by which I can be appreciated,

I reject none, accept all, then reproduce all in my own forms.

A breed whose proof is in time and deeds ;'

What we are, we are-nativity is answer enough to objections; We wield ourselves as a weapon is wielded,

We are powerful and tremendous in ourselves,

ΙΟ

We are executive in ourselves-We are sufficient in the variety of ourselves,

We are the most beautiful to ourselves, and in ourselves;

We stand self-pois'd in the middle, branching thence over the

world;

From Missouri, Nebraska, or Kansas, laughing attacks to scorn.3

Nothing is sinful to us outside of ourselves,

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Whatever appears, whatever does not appear, we are beautiful or sinful in ourselves only.

(O mother! O sisters dear!

If we are lost, no victor else has destroy'd us;

It is by ourselves we go down to eternal night.)*

3

Have you thought there could be but a single Supreme? There can be any number of Supremes-One does not countervail another, any more than one eyesight countervails another, or one life countervails another.

All is eligible to all,

All is for individuals—All is for you,

No condition is prohibited-not God's, or any."

1 1860 adds "(many in one)." This line begins poem in 1856 '60.

2 1856 '60 read "A breed whose testimony is behavior."

Lines 18-19 added in "Songs Before Parting."

Lines 23-25 added in "Songs Before Parting."

5 1856 '60. After line 29 read "If one is lost you are inevitably lost."

All comes by the body-only health puts you rapport with the

universe.

Produce great persons, the rest follows.

America isolated I sing;

4

30

I say that works made here in the spirit of other lands, are so much poison in The States.'

(How dare such insects as we see assume to write poems for America?

For our victorious armies, and the offspring following the armies?)2

Piety and conformity to them that like!

Peace, obesity, allegiance, to them that like!

I am he who tauntingly compels men, women, nations,
Crying, Leap from your seats, and contend for your lives!

I am he who walks the States with a barb'd tongue, questioning every one I meet ;*

40

Who are you, that wanted only to be told what you knew

before?

Who are you, that wanted only a book to join you in your nonsense?

(With pangs and cries, as thine own, O bearer of many children! These clamors wild, to a race of pride I give.)

O lands! would you be freer than all that has ever been before ? If you would be freer than all that has been before, come listen to me."

1 Lines 32-33 added in "Songs Before Parting."

For lines 34-35, 1856 reads:

"How dare a sick man, or an obedient man write poems?

Which is the theory or book that is not diseased ?"

1860 reads "How dare a sick man, or an obedient man write poems for These States?

Which is the theory or book that, for our purposes is not diseased?"

3 1856'60. For "who walks the States" read "who goes through the streets."

* 1856 '60 add "-questioning you up there now."

5 Lines 43-44 added in "Songs Before Parting."

6 1856 '60 read "Are you or would you be better than all," etc.

71856 reads "If you would be better than all that has ever been before, come listen to me and I will tell you." 1850 reads If you would be better than all that has ever been before, come listen to me and not otherwise."