Leaves of Grass (1871-72)
|
| 1 I WAS asking for something specific and perfect for
my city, |
| Whereupon, lo! upsprang the aboriginal name! |
| 2 Now I see what there is in a name, a word, liquid,
sane, unruly, musical, self-sufficient; |
| I see that the word of my city is that word up there, |
| Because I see that word nested in nests of water-bays,
superb, with tall and wonderful spires, |
| Rich, hemm'd thick all around with sailships and
steamships—an island sixteen miles long, solid- founded, |
| Numberless crowded streets—high growths of iron,
slender, strong, light, splendidly uprising to- ward clear skies, |
| Tides swift and ample, well-loved by me, toward sun-
down, |
| The flowing sea-currents, the little islands, larger ad-
joining islands, the heights, the villas, |
| The countless masts, the white shore-steamers, the light-
ers, the ferry-boats, the black sea-steamers, well- model'd; |
| The down-town streets, the jobbers' houses of business
—the houses of business of the ship-merchants, and money-brokers—the river-streets; |
| Immigrants arriving, fifteen or twenty thousand in a
week; |
| The carts hauling goods—the manly race of drivers of
horses—the brown-faced sailors; |
| The summer air, the bright sun shining, and the sail-
ing clouds aloft; |
| The winter snows, the sleigh-bells—the broken ice in
the river, passing along, up or down, with the flood-tide or ebb-tide; |
| The mechanics of the city, the masters, well-form'd,
beautiful-faced, looking you straight in the eyes; |
| Trottoirs throng'd—vehicles—Broadway—the women—
the shops and shows, |
)
|
| The parades, processions, bugles playing, flags flying,
drums beating; |
| A million people—manners free and superb—open
voices—hospitality—the most courageous and friendly young men; |
| The free city! no slaves! no owners of slaves! |
| The beautiful city, the city of hurried and sparkling
waters! the city of spires and masts! |
| The city nested in bays! my city! |
| The city of such women, I am mad to be with them!
I will return after death to be with them! |
| The city of such young men, I swear I cannot live
happy, without I often go talk, walk, eat, drink, sleep, with them! |