rocks!
O morning red! O clouds! O rain and snows!
O day and night, passage to you!
O sun and moon
and all you stars! Sirius and Jupiter!
Passage to you!
Passage, immediate passage! the blood burns in my veins!
Away O soul! hoist instantly the anchor!
Cut
the hawsers — haul out — shake out every sail!
Have we not stood here like trees in the ground long
enough?
Have we not grovel'd here long enough, eating and drinking
like mere brutes?
Have we not darken'd and
dazed ourselves with books long
enough?
Sail forth — steer for the deep waters only,
Reckless O soul, exploring, I with thee, and thou with me,
For
we are bound where mariner has not yet dared to go,
And we will risk the ship, ourselves and all.
O my brave soul!
O farther farther sail!
O daring joy, but safe! are they not all the seas of God?
O farther,
farther, farther sail!
(1868) 1871