The Walt Whitman Archive
Published Works
Books by Whitman
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OVER THE CARNAGE ROSE PROPHETIC
A VOICE.
A VOICE.
—————
1
OVER the carnage rose prophetic a voice,
Be not dishearten'd—Affection shall solve the problems
of Freedom yet;
of Freedom yet;
Those who love each other shall become invincible—
they shall yet make Columbia victorious.
they shall yet make Columbia victorious.
2Sons of the Mother of All! you shall yet be victo-
rious!
rious!
You shall yet laugh to scorn the attacks of all the re-
mainder of the earth.
mainder of the earth.
3No danger shall balk Columbia's lovers;
If need be, a thousand shall sternly immolate themselves
for one.
for one.
4One from Massachusetts shall be a Missourian's com-
rade;
rade;
From Maine and from hot Carolina, and another an Ore-
gonese, shall be friends triune,
gonese, shall be friends triune,
More precious to each other than all the riches of the
earth.
earth.
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5To Michigan, Florida perfumes shall tenderly come;
Not the perfumes of flowers, but sweeter, and wafted
beyond death.
beyond death.
6It shall be customary in the houses and streets to see
manly affection;
manly affection;
The most dauntless and rude shall touch face to face
lightly;
lightly;
The dependence of Liberty shall be lovers,
The continuance of Equality shall be comrades.
7These shall tie you and band you stronger than hoops
of iron;
of iron;
I, extatic, O partners! O lands! with the love of lovers
tie you.
tie you.
8Were you looking to be held together by the lawyers?
Or by an agreement on a paper? or by arms?
—Nay—nor the world, nor any living thing, will so
cohere.
cohere.