Ambition

per.00148.002 WRITTEN FOR THE BROTHER JONATHAN.

AMBITION.¹

BY WALTER WHITMAN. One day, an obscure youth, a wanderer, Known but to a few, lay musing with himself About the changes of his future life. In that youth's heart, there dwelt the coal Ambition, Burning and glowing; and he asked himself, "Shall I, in time to come, be great and famed?" Now soon an answer wild and mystical Seemed to sound forth from out the depths of air; And to the gazer's eye appeared a shape Like one as of a cloud—and thus it spoke: "O, many a panting, noble heart Cherishes in its deep recess The hope to win renown o'er earth From Glory's prized caress. "And some will win that envied goal, And have their deeds known far and wide; And some—by far the most—will sink Down in oblivion's tide. "But thou, who visions bright dost cull From the imagination's store, With dreams, such as the youthful dream Of grandeur, love, and power, "Fanciest that thou shalt build a name And come to have the nations know What conscious might dwells in the brain That throbs beneath that brow? "And see thick countless ranks of men Fix upon thee their reverent gaze— And listen to the plaudits loud To thee that thousands raise? "Weak, childish soul! the very place That pride has made for folly's rest; What thoughts, with vanity all rife, Fill up thy heaving breast! "At night, go view the solemn stars Those wheeling worlds through time the same— How puny seem the widest power, The proudest mortal name! "Think too, that all, lowly and rich, Dull idiot mind and teeming sense, Alike must sleep the endless sleep, A hundred seasons hence. "So frail one, never more repine, Though thou livest on obscure, unknown; Though after death unsought may be Thy markless resting stone." And as these accents dropped in the youth's ears He felt him sick at heart; for many a month His fancy had amused and charmed itself With lofty aspirations, visions fair Of what he might be. And it pierced him sore To have his airy castles thus dashed down.

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Notes

1. An earlier version of this poem entitled "Fame's Vanity" appeared in the Long Island Democrat, 27 November 1839. [back]