304. To You



LET us twain walk aside from the rest;       
Now we are together privately, do you discard ceremony,       
Come! vouchsafe to me what has yet been vouchsafed to none—Tell me the whole story,       
Tell me what you would not tell your brother, wife, husband, or physician.

305. Of the Visage of Things



OF the visages of things—And of piercing through to the accepted hells beneath;       
Of ugliness—To me there is just as much in it as there is in beauty—And now the ugliness of human beings is acceptable to me;       
Of detected persons—To me, detected persons are not, in any respect, worse than undetected persons—and are not in any respect worse than I am myself;       
Of criminals—To me, any judge, or any juror, is equally criminal—and any reputable person is also—and the President is also.

306. Says



1

I SAY whatever tastes sweet to the most perfect person, that is finally right.       


2

I say nourish a great intellect, a great brain;       
If I have said anything to the contrary, I hereby retract it.       
     
3

I say man shall not hold property in man;       
I say the least developed person on earth is just as important and sacred to himself or herself, as the most developed person is to himself or herself.            5   
     
4

I say where liberty draws not the blood out of slavery, there slavery draws the blood out of liberty,       
I say the word of the good old cause in These States, and resound it hence over the world.       
     
5

I say the human shape or face is so great, it must never be made ridiculous;       
I say for ornaments nothing outre can be allowed,       
And that anything is most beautiful without ornament,     10   
And that exaggerations will be sternly revenged in your own physiology, and in other persons’ physiology also;       
And I say that clean-shaped children can be jetted and conceived only where natural forms prevail in public, and the human face and form are never caricatured;       
And I say that genius need never more be turned to romances,       
(For facts properly told, how mean appear all romances.)       
     
6

I say the word of lands fearing nothing—I will have no other land;     15   
I say discuss all and expose all—I am for every topic openly;       
I say there can be no salvation for These States without innovators—without free tongues, and ears willing to hear the tongues;       
And I announce as a glory of These States, that they respectfully listen to propositions, reforms, fresh views and doctrines, from successions of men and women,       
Each age with its own growth.       
     
7

I have said many times that materials and the Soul are great, and that all depends on physique;     20   
Now I reverse what I said, and affirm that all depends on the æsthetic or intellectual,       
And that criticism is great—and that refinement is greatest of all;       
And I affirm now that the mind governs—and that all depends on the mind.       
     
8

With one man or woman—(no matter which one—I even pick out the lowest,)       
With him or her I now illustrate the whole law;     25   
I say that every right, in politics or what-not, shall be eligible to that one man or woman, on the same terms as any.

307. Debris



HE is wisest who has the most caution,       
He only wins who goes far enough.       
     
Any thing is as good as established, when that is established that will produce it and continue it.

308. What General has a Good Army



WHAT General has a good army in himself, has a good army;       
He happy in himself, or she happy in herself, is happy,       
But I tell you you cannot be happy by others, any more than you can beget or conceive a child by others.

309. Despairing Cries



1

DESPAIRING cries float ceaselessly toward me, day and night,       
The sad voice of Death—the call of my nearest lover, putting forth, alarmed, uncertain,       
This sea I am quickly to sail, come tell me,       
Come tell me where I am speeding—tell me my destination.       
     
2

I understand your anguish, but I cannot help you,            5   
I approach, hear, behold—the sad mouth, the look out of the eyes, your mute inquiry,       
Whither I go from the bed I now recline on, come tell me;       
Old age, alarmed, uncertain—A young woman’s voice appealing to me, for comfort,       
A young man’s voice, Shall I not escape?

310. One Sweeps By



ONE sweeps by, attended by an immense train,       
All emblematic of peace—not a soldier or menial among them.       
     
One sweeps by, old, with black eyes, and profuse white hair,       
He has the simple magnificence of health and strength,       
His face strikes as with flashes of lightning whoever it turns toward.            5   
     
Three old men slowly pass, followed by three others, and they by three others,       
They are beautiful—the one in the middle of each group holds his companions by the hand,       
As they walk, they give out perfume wherever they walk.

311. What Weeping Face



WHAT weeping face is that looking from the window?       
Why does it stream those sorrowful tears?       
Is it for some burial place, vast and dry?       
Is it to wet the soil of graves?

312. I will Take an Egg Out of the Robin’s Nest



I WILL take an egg out of the robin’s nest in the orchard,       
I will take a branch of gooseberries from the old bush in the garden, and go and preach to the world;       
You shall see I will not meet a single heretic or scorner,       
You shall see how I stump clergymen, and confound them,       
You shall see me showing a scarlet tomato, and a white pebble from the beach.

313. Behavior



BEHAVIOR—fresh, native, copious, each one for himself or herself,       
Nature and the Soul expressed—America and freedom expressed—In it the finest art,       
In it pride, cleanliness, sympathy, to have their chance,       
In it physique, intellect, faith—in it just as much as to manage an army or a city, or to write a book—perhaps more,       
The youth, the laboring person, the poor person, rivalling all the rest—perhaps outdoing the rest,            5   
The effects of the universe no greater than its;       
For there is nothing in the whole universe that can be more effective than a man’s or woman’s daily behavior can be,       
In any position, in any one of These States.