Leaves of Grass, by Walt Whitman

Leaves of Grass (1871-72)

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CHANTING THE SQUARE DEIFIC.

1

CHANTING the square deific, out of the One advancing,
out of the sides;

Out of the old and new—out of the square entirely
divine,

Solid, four-sided, (all the sides needed). . .from this
side JEHOVAH am I

Old Brahm I, and I Saturnius am;

Not Time affects me—I am Time, old, modern as any;

Unpersuadable, relentless, executing righteous judg-
ments;

As the Earth, the Father, the brown old Kronos, with
laws,

Aged beyond computation—yet ever new—ever with
those mighty laws rolling,

Relentless, I forgive no man—whoever sins, dies—I will
have that man's life;

Therefore let none expect mercy—Have the seasons,
gravitation, the appointed days, mercy?—No
more have I;

But as the seasons, and gravitation—and as all the
appointed days, that forgive not,

I dispense from this side judgments inexorable,
without the least remorse.

2

Consolator most mild, the promis'd one advancing,

With gentle hand extendedthe mightier God am I,

Foretold by prophets and poets, in their most rapt
prophecies and poems;

From this side, lo! the Lord CHRIST gazes—lo! Hermes
I—lo! mine is Hercules' face;

All sorrow, labor, suffering, I, tallying it, absorb in my-
self;

Many times have I been rejected, taunted, put in prison,
and crucified—and many times shall be again;

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All the world have I given up for my dear brothers'
and sisters' sake—for the soul's sake;

Wending my way through the homes of men, rich or
poor, with the kiss of affection;

For I am affection—I am the cheer-bringing God, with
hope and all-enclosing Charity;

(Conqueror yet—for before me all the armies and sol
diers of the earth shall yet bow—and all the
weapons of war become impotent:)

With indulgent words, as to children—with fresh and
sane words, mine only;

Young and strong I pass, knowing well I am destin'd
myself to an early death:

But my Charity has no death—my Wisdom dies not,
neither early nor late,

And my sweet Love, bequeath'd here and elsewhere,
never dies.

3

Aloof, dissatisfied, plotting revolt,

Comrade of criminals, brother of slaves,

Crafty, despised, a drudge, ignorant,

With sudra face and worn brow, black, but in the depths
of my heart, proud as any;

Lifted, now and always, against whoever, scorning,
assumes to rule me;

Morose, full of guile, full of reminiscences, brooding,
with many wiles,

(Though it was thought I was baffled and dispell'd,
and my wiles done—but that will never be;)

Defiant, I, SATAN, still live—still utter words—in new
lands only appearing, (and old ones also;)

Permanent here, from my side, warlike, equal with any,
real as any,

Nor time, nor change, shall ever change me or my words.

4

Santa SPIRITA, breather, life,

Beyond the light, lighter than light,

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Beyond the flames of hell—joyous, leaping easily above
hell;

Beyond Paradise—perfumed solely with mine own
perfume;

Including all life on earth—touching, including God—
including Saviour and Satan;

Ethereal, pervading all, (for without me what were all?
what were God?)

Essence of forms—life of the real identities, permanent,
positive, (namely the unseen,)

Life of the great round world, the sun and stars, and of
man—I, the general Soul,

Here the square finishing, the solid, I the most solid,

Breathe my breath also through these songs.

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