Leaves of Grass 1

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.