Toward that whirling current, laughing and buoyant, with curves, Where the great Vessel, sailing and tacking, displaced the sur face; Larger and smaller waves, in the spread of the ocean, yearnfully flowing; The wake of the Sea-Ship, after she passes-flashing and frolicsome, under the sun, ΙΟ A motley procession, with many a fleck of foam, and many fragments, Following the stately and rapid Ship-in the wake following. NOW FINALE TO THE SHORE. NOW FINALE TO THE SHORE. First published in "Passage to India," 1870. Now finale to the shore ! Now, land and life, finale, and farewell! Now Voyager depart! (much, much for thee is yet in store ;) Often enough hast thou adventur'd o'er the seas, Cautiously cruising, studying the charts, Duly again to port, and hawser's tie, returning : 10 SHUT NOT YOUR DOORS, Etc. First published in "Drum-Taps," 1865. SHUT not your doors to me, proud libraries, For that which was lacking on all your well-fill'd shelves, yet needed most, I bring;' Forth from the army, the war emerging—a book I have made,' But you, ye untold latencies, will thrill to every page; 1 Drum-Taps reads " which was lacking among you all, yet needed," etc. Drum-Taps. For line 3 reads "A book I have made for your dear sake, O Soldiers, And for you, O soul of man, and you, love of comrades." 3 Drum-Taps. For "drift" reads "life." After line 5, Drum-Taps reads " But you will feel every word, O Libertad ! Arm'd Libertad! It shall pass by the intellect to swim the sea, the air, With joy with you, O soul of Man." Through Space and Time fused in a chant, and the flowing, eternal Identity, To Nature, encompassing these, encompassing God-to the joyous, electric All, To the sense of Death-and accepting, exulting in Death, in its turn, the same as life, The entrance of Man I sing.' 10 THOUGHT. First published in " Passage to India," 1870. As they draw to a close, Of what underlies the precedent songs-of my aims in them; Of the seed I have sought to plant in them; Of joy, sweet joy, through many a year, in them ; (For them-for them have I lived-In them my work is done ;) Of many an aspiration fond-of many a dream and plan, Of you, O mystery great!-to place on record faith in you, O death! -To compact you, ye parted, diverse lives! To put rapport the mountains, and rocks, and streams, And the winds of the north, and the forests of oak and pine, 10 With you, O soul of man. THE UNTOLD WANT. First published in "Passage to India," 1870. THE untold want, by life and land ne'er granted, PORTALS. First published in "Passage to India," 1870. WHAT are those of the known, but to ascend and enter the Unknown? And what are those of life, but for Death? 1 Lines 6-10. Added in "Passage to India," 1870. THESE CAROLS. First published in "Passage to India," 1870. THESE Carols, sung to cheer my passage through the world I see, For completion, I dedicate to the Invisible World. WHAT PLACE IS BESIEGED? First published in 1860 as part of "Calamus," 31. WHAT place is besieged, and vainly tries to raise the siege? JOY, SHIPMATE, JOY! First published in " Passage to India," 1870. Joy! shipmate-joy! GATHERED LEAVES. O MATER! O fils! O brood continental! APOSTROPH. First published in 1860. O flowers of the prairies! O space boundless! O hum of mighty products! O you teeming cities! O so invincible, turbulent, proud! O fathers! O you men of passion and the storm! O native power only! O beauty! O yourself! O God! O divine average! O you bearded roughs! O bards! O all those slumberers! ΙΟ O arouse the dawn-bird's throat sounds shrill! Do you not hear the cock crowing? O, as I walk'd the beach, I heard the mournful notes foreboding a tempest-the low, oft-repeated shriek of the diver, the long-lived loon; OI heard, and yet hear, angry thunder;-O you sailors! O ships! make quick preparation ! O from his masterful sweep, the warning cry of the eagle! (Give way there, all! It is useless! Give up your spoils ;) O sarcasms! Propositions! (O if the whole world should prove indeed a sham, a sell!) O I believe there is nothing real but America and freedom! O to sternly reject all except Democracy! O imperator! O who dare confront you and me? O to promulgate our own! O to build for that which builds for mankind! 20 O feuillage! O North! O the slope drained by the Mexican sea! O all, all inseparable-ages, ages, ages! O a curse on him that would dissever this Union for any reason whatever! O climates, labors! O good and evil! O death! O you strong with iron and wood! O Personality! |