Leaves of Grass — By the Roadside (Part 6 of 6)

HAST NEVER COME TO THEE AN HOUR

Hast never come to thee an hour,
A sudden gleam divine, precipitating, bursting all these bubbles, fashions, wealth?
These eager business aims — books, politics, art, amours,
To utter nothingness?

1881 1881

THOUGHT

Of Equality — as if it harm'd me, giving others the same chances and rights as myself — as if it were not indispensable to my own rights that others possess the same.

1860 1860

TO OLD AGE

I see in you the estuary that enlarges and spreads itself grandly as it pours in the great sea.

1860
1860

LOCATIONS AND TIMES

Locations and times — what is it in me that meets them all, whenever and wherever, and makes me at home?
Forms, colors, densities, odors — what is it in me that corresponds with them?

1860 1871

OFFERINGS

A thousand perfect men and women appear,
Around each gathers a cluster of friends, and gay children and youths, with offerings.

1860 1871

TO THE STATES

To Identify the 16th, 17th, or 18th Presidentiad

Why reclining, interrogating? why myself and all drowsing?
What deepening twilight — scum floating atop of the waters,
Who are they as bats and night-dogs askant in the capitol?
What a filthy Presidentiad! (O South, your torrid suns! O North, your arctic freezings!)
Are those really Congressmen? are those the great Judges? is that the President?
Then I will sleep awhile yet, for I see that these States sleep, for reasons;
(With gathering murk, with muttering thunder and lambent shoots we all duly awake,
South, North, East, West, inland and seaboard, we will surely awake.)

1860 1860