Waged in my book with varying fortune-with flight, advance, and retreat-Victory deferr' d and wavering, (Yet, methinks, certain, or as good as certain, at the last,)—The field the world; For life and death-for the Body, and for the eternal Soul, I, above all, promote brave soldiers. IN CABIN'D SHIPS AT SEA. IN cabin'd ships, at sea, First published in 1870. I The boundless blue on every side expanding, With whistling winds and music of the waves-the large imperious waves-In such, Or some lone bark, buoy'd on the dense marine, Where, joyous, full of faith, spreading white sails, She cleaves the ether, mid the sparkle and the foam of day, or under many a star at night, By sailors young and old, haply will I, a reminiscence of the land, be read, In full rapport at last. 2 Here are our thoughts-voyagers' thoughts, Here not the land, firm land, alone appears, may then by them be said; ΙΟ The sky o'erarches here—we feel the undulating deck beneath our feet, We feel the long pulsation—ebb and flow of endless motion; The tones of unseen mystery—the vague and vast suggestions of the briny world-the liquid-flowing syllables, The perfume, the faint creaking of the cordage, the melancholy rhythm, The boundless vista, and the horizon far and dim, are all here, And this is Ocean's poem. 3 Then falter not, O book! fulfil your destiny! You, not a reminiscence of the land alone, You too, as a lone bark, cleaving the ether-purpos'd I know not whither yet ever full of faith, 20 Consort to every ship that sails-sail you! Bear forth to them, folded, my love-(Dear mariners! for you I fold it here, in every leaf ;) Speed on, my Book! spread your white sails, my little bark, athwart the imperious waves! Chant on-sail on-bear o'er the boundless blue, from me, to every shore, This song for mariners and all their ships. TO FOREIGN LANDS. First published in 1860. In that and 1867 under title of "To Other Lands." I HEARD that you ask'd for something to prove this puzzle, the New World,' And to define America, her athletic Democracy ;2 Therefore I send you my poems, that you behold in them what you wanted. TO A HISTORIAN.3 First published in 1860 as No. 10-"Chants Democratic." See Note. You who celebrate bygones! Who have explored the outward, the surfaces of the races-the life that has exhibited itself; 1 1860 '67 read "I hear you have been asking for something to represent the new race, our self-poised Democracy." 2 Line 2. Added in 1870. 1860 reads: "HISTORIAN! you who celebrate bygones! You have explored the outward, the surface of the races-the life that has exhibited itself, You have treated man as the creature of politics, aggregates, rulers, and priests; But now I also, arriving, contribute something: I, an habitué of the Alleghanies, treat man as he is in the influences of Nature, in himself, in his own inalienable rights, Advancing, to give the spirit and the traits of new Democratic ages, myself, personally, (Let the future behold them all in me-Me, so puzzling and contradictory— Me, a Manhattanese, the most loving and arrogant of men ;) I do not tell the usual facts, proved by records and documents, he or she who will hear me, will furnish, by silently meditating alone; I press the pulse of the life that has hitherto seldom exhibited itself, but has generally sought concealment, (the great pride of man, in himself,) I illuminate feelings, faults, yearnings, hopes-I have come at last, no more ashamed nor afraid; Chanter of Personality, outlining a history yet to be, I project the ideal man, the American of the future." Who have treated of man as the creature of politics, aggregates, rulers and priests; I, habitan' of the Alleghanies, treating of him as he is in himself, in his own rights, Pressing the pulse of the life that has seldom exhibited itself, (the great pride of man in himself;) Chanter of Personality, outlining what is yet to be, (As some perennial tree, out of its roots, the present on the past :) With time and space I him dilate-and fuse the immortal laws, To make himself, by them, the law unto himself. WHEN I READ THE BOOK. First published in 1867. WHEN I read the book, the biography famous, And is this, then, (said I,) what the author calls a man's life? And so will some one, when I am dead and gone, write my life? (As if any man really knew aught of my life;" Why, even I myself, I often think, know little or nothing of my real life; Only a few hints-a few diffused, faint clues and indirections, I seek, for my own use, to trace out here.) BEGINNING MY STUDIES. BEGINNING my studies, the first step pleas'd me so much, The mere fact, consciousness-these forms-the power of motion, The least insect or animal-the senses-eyesight-love ;3 1 Songs Before Parting reads "habitué." 2 1867 reads "(As if any man really knew aught of my life; As if you, O cunning Soul, did not keep your secret well!)' 3 "love." Added in 1870. : The first step, I say, aw'd me and pleas'd me so much, TO THEE, OLD CAUSE! To thee, old Cause! First published in 1870. Thou peerless, passionate, good cause ! Deathless throughout the ages, races, lands! After a strange, sad war-great war for thee, (I think all war through time was really fought, and ever will be really fought, for thee ;) These chants for thee-the eternal march of thee. Thou orb of many orbs! Thou seething principle! Thou well-kept, latent germ! Thou centre ! Around the idea of thee the strange sad war revolving, ΙΟ (With yet unknown results to come, for thrice a thousand years,) These recitatives for thee-my Book and the War are one, Merged in its spirit I and mine-as the contest hinged on thee, As a wheel on its axis turns, this Book, unwitting to itself, Around the Idea of thee, STARTING FROM PAUMANOK.2 First published in 1860 under title of " Proto-Leaf." See note. I STARTING from fish-shape Paumanok, where I was born, After roaming many lands-lover of populous pavements; "I have never gone, and never wish'd to go, any farther, 2 1860. But stop and loiter all my life, to sing it in extatic songs." "FREE, fresh, savage, Fluent, luxuriant, self-content, fond of persons and places, Fond of the sea-lusty-begotten and various, Dweller in Mannahatta,' my city-or on southern savannas; Or a soldier camp'd, or carrying my knapsack and gun-or a miner in California; Or rude in my home in Dakota's woods, my diet meat, my drink from the spring; Or withdrawn to muse and meditate in some deep recess, Far from the clank of crowds, intervals passing, rapt and happy; Aware of the fresh free giver, the flowing Missouri-aware of mighty Niagara ; Aware of the buffalo herds, grazing the plains-the hirsute and strong-breasted bull; ΙΟ Of earth, rocks, Fifth-month flowers, experienced-stars, rain, snow, my amaze; Having studied the mocking-bird's tones, and the mountain hawk's, And heard at dusk the unrival'd one, the hermit thrush from the swamp-cedars, Solitary, singing in the West, I strike up for a New World. 2 Victory, union, faith, identity, time,3 The indissoluble compacts, riches, mystery, Eternal progress, the kosmos, and the modern reports. This, then, is life; Here is what has come to the surface after so many throes and convulsions. Boy of the Mannahatta, the city of ships, my city, Or raised inland, or of the south savannas, Or full-breath'd on Californian air, or Texan or Cuban air, Tallying, vocalizing all-resounding Niagara-resounding Missouri, Or rude in my home in Kanuck woods, Or wandering and hunting, my drink water, my diet meat, Or withdrawn to muse and meditate in some deep recess, Far from the clank of crowds, an interval passing, rapt and happy, Stars, vapor, snow, the hills, rocks, the Fifth Month flowers, my amaze, my love, Aware of the buffalo, the peace-herds, the bull, strong-breasted and hairy, Aware of the mocking-bird of the wilds at daybreak, Solitary, singing in the west, I strike up for a new world." 1 1867 reads "city of ships my city-" 2 1867. For "earth" reads "earths." 31860 adds "the Soul, your-self, the present and future lands." 1867 adds "Yourself, the present and future lands." |