Leaves of Grass

Name: Leaves of Grass
Author: Whitman, Walt

Whitman, Walt

American poetry -- 19th century

Who has gone farthest? for I would go farther,
  And who has been just? for I would be the most just person of the earth,
  And who most cautious? for I would be more cautious,
  And who has been happiest? O I think it is I--I think no one was
      ever happier than I,
  And who has lavish’d all? for I lavish constantly the best I have,
  And who proudest? for I think I have reason to be the proudest son
      alive--for I am the son of the brawny and tall-topt city,
  And who has been bold and true? for I would be the boldest and
      truest being of the universe,
  And who benevolent? for I would show more benevolence than all the rest,
  And who has receiv’d the love of the most friends? for I know what
      it is to receive the passionate love of many friends,
  And who possesses a perfect and enamour’d body? for I do not believe
      any one possesses a more perfect or enamour’d body than mine,
  And who thinks the amplest thoughts? for I would surround those thoughts,
  And who has made hymns fit for the earth? for I am mad with
      devouring ecstasy to make joyous hymns for the whole earth.




Ah Poverties, Wincings, and Sulky Retreats

  Ah 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?)
  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 ultimate victory.




Thoughts

  Of public opinion,
  Of a calm and cool fiat sooner or later, (how impassive! how certain
      and final!)
  Of the President with pale face asking secretly to himself, What
      will the people say at last?
  Of the frivolous Judge--of the corrupt Congressman, Governor,
      Mayor--of such as these standing helpless and exposed,
  Of the mumbling and screaming priest, (soon, soon deserted,)
  Of the lessening year by year of venerableness, and of the dicta of
      officers, statutes, pulpits, schools,
  Of the rising forever taller and stronger and broader of the
      intuitions of men and women, and of Self-esteem and Personality;
  Of the true New World--of the Democracies resplendent en-masse,
  Of the conformity of politics, armies, navies, to them,
  Of the shining sun by them--of the inherent light, greater than the rest,
  Of the envelopment of all by them, and the effusion of all from them.




Mediums

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Opening the text

Leaves of GrassWhitman, Walt

PhilosophyPhilosophy

Leaves of Grass

Whitman, Walt

American poetry -- 19th century

Who has gone farthest? for I would go farther,
  And who has been just? for I would be the most just person of the earth,
  And who most cautious? for I would be more cautious,
  And who has been happiest? O I think it is I--I think no one was
      ever happier than I,
  And who has lavish’d all? for I lavish constantly the best I have,
  And who proudest? for I think I have reason to be the proudest son
      alive--for I am the son of the brawny and tall-topt city,
  And who has been bold and true? for I would be the boldest and
      truest being of the universe,
  And who benevolent? for I would show more benevolence than all the rest,
  And who has receiv’d the love of the most friends? for I know what
      it is to receive the passionate love of many friends,
  And who possesses a perfect and enamour’d body? for I do not believe
      any one possesses a more perfect or enamour’d body than mine,
  And who thinks the amplest thoughts? for I would surround those thoughts,
  And who has made hymns fit for the earth? for I am mad with
      devouring ecstasy to make joyous hymns for the whole earth.




Ah Poverties, Wincings, and Sulky Retreats

  Ah 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?)
  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 ultimate victory.




Thoughts

  Of public opinion,
  Of a calm and cool fiat sooner or later, (how impassive! how certain
      and final!)
  Of the President with pale face asking secretly to himself, What
      will the people say at last?
  Of the frivolous Judge--of the corrupt Congressman, Governor,
      Mayor--of such as these standing helpless and exposed,
  Of the mumbling and screaming priest, (soon, soon deserted,)
  Of the lessening year by year of venerableness, and of the dicta of
      officers, statutes, pulpits, schools,
  Of the rising forever taller and stronger and broader of the
      intuitions of men and women, and of Self-esteem and Personality;
  Of the true New World--of the Democracies resplendent en-masse,
  Of the conformity of politics, armies, navies, to them,
  Of the shining sun by them--of the inherent light, greater than the rest,
  Of the envelopment of all by them, and the effusion of all from them.




Mediums

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Leaves of Grass

Leaves of Grass

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