Leaves of Grass, by Walt Whitman

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¹ O ME, man of slack faith so long!

Standing aloof—denying portions so long;

Only aware to-day of compact, all-diffused truth;

Discovering to-day there is no lie, or form of lie, and
can be none, but grows as inevitably upon itself
as the truth does upon itself,

Or as any law of the earth, or any natural production
of the earth does.

² (This is curious, and may not be realized immediately
—But it must be realized;

I feel in myself that I represent falsehoods equally with
the rest,

And that the universe does.)

³ Where has fail'd a perfect return, indifferent of lies or
the truth?

Is it upon the ground, or in water or fire? or in the
spirit of man? or in the meat and blood?

⁴ Meditating among liars, and retreating sternly into
myself, I see that there are really no liars or lies
after all,

And that nothing fails its perfect return—And that
what are called lies are perfect returns,

And that each thing exactly represents itself, and what
has preceded it,

And that the truth includes all, and is compact, just as
much as space is compact,

And that there is no flaw or vacuum in the amount of
the truth—but that all is truth without excep-
tion;

And henceforth I will go celebrate anything I see or
am,

And sing and laugh, and deny nothing.

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