|
Leaves of Grass (1891-92)
contents
| previous
| next
TO THEE OLD CAUSE.
| Thou peerless, passionate, good cause, |
| Thou stern, remorseless, sweet idea, |
| Deathless throughout the ages, races, lands, |
| After a strange sad war, great war for thee, |
(I think all war through time was really fought, and ever will be
really fought, for thee,)
|
| These chants for thee, the eternal march of thee. |
| (A war O soldiers not for itself alone, |
Far, far more stood silently waiting behind, now to advance in
this book.)
|
| Thou seething principle! thou well-kept, latent germ! thou centre! |
| Around the idea of thee the war revolving, |
| With all its angry and vehement play of causes, |
| (With vast results to come for thrice a thousand years,) |
| These recitatives for thee,—my book and the war are one, |
| Merged in its spirit I and mine, as the contest hinged on thee, |
| As a wheel on its axis turns, this book unwitting to itself, |
contents
| previous
| next
|
| |