Skip to main content

Leaves of Grass 1

Part of the cluster LEAVES OF GRASS.

1

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 it- 
 self 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 immedi- 
 ately—But it must be realized;
I feel in myself that I represent falsehoods equally  
 with the rest,
And that the universe does.)
3Where 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?
4Meditating 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,
  [ begin page 23c ]ppp.00473.457.jpg And that there is no flaw or vacuum in the amount of  
 the truth—but that all is truth without ex- 
 ception;
And henceforth I will go celebrate anything I see  
 or am,
And sing and laugh, and deny nothing.

Part of the cluster LEAVES OF GRASS.

Back to top