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.00496Fables1871poetryhandwritten1 leaf23 x 20 cm; This poem became numbered verse paragraph 4 of section 2

time1871-1875prose1 leafhandwritten; This prose manuscript fragment, heavily revised, appears to be part

Gurney and Son, 1871 Horace Traubel dates this photograph as during the Civil War, but it is clearly part

thank you for liking me as I am, and liking the touch of me—I know that it is good for you to do so. 2

fit to own things could not at pleasure enter upon all, and incorporate them into himself or herself. 2

money-maker that plotted all day sleeps, And the enraged and treacherous dispositions—all, all sleep. 2

that loves unrequited, the money- maker money-maker , The actor and actress, those through with their parts

the best poems re-appears the body, man's or wo- man's woman's , well-shaped, natural, gay, Every part

able, active, receptive, without shame or the need of shame. 2 Air, soil, water, fire—these are words

hovering-above, around, or in the ranks marching; But I will sing you a song of what I behold, Libertad. 2

SUGGESTIONS. 1 THAT whatever tastes sweet to the most perfect person —That is finally right. 2 That the

expressive, That anguish as hot as the hottest, and contempt as cold as the coldest, may be without words. 2

is Life, real and mystical, wherever and who- ever whoever ; Great is Death—sure as life holds all parts

together, Death holds all parts together.

forth every day; And the first object he look'd upon, that object he became; And that object became part

of him for the day, or a certain part of the day, or for many years, or stretching cycles of years.

The early lilacs became part of this child, And grass, and white and red morning-glories, and white and

The field-sprouts of Fourth-month and Fifth-month became part of him; Winter-grain sprouts, and those

, They gave this child more of themselves than that; They gave him afterward every day—they became part

war, (that shall serve for our pre- lude prelude , songs of soldiers,) How Manhattan drum-taps led. 2

flung out from the steeples of churches, and from all the public buildings and stores; The tearful parting—the

mother kisses her son—the son kisses his mother; (Loth is the mother to part—yet not a word does she

his field or gathering his grain; So fierce you whirr and pound, you drums—so shrill you bugles blow. 2

globe uprisen around me; Yet there with my soul I fed—I fed content, super- cilious supercilious . 2

The Centenarian's Story. THE CENTENARIAN'S STORY. VOLUNTEER OF 1861-2.

As wending, the crowds now part and disperse—but we, old man, Not for nothing have I brought you hither—we

eighty-five years a-gone, no mere parade receiv'd with applause of friends, But a battle, which I took part

in myself—aye, long ago as it is, I took part in it, Walking then this hill-top, this same ground.

It is well—a lesson like that, always comes good; I must copy the story, and send it eastward and west

here's a letter from our Pete; And come to the front door, mother—here's a letter from thy dear son. 2

2 O maidens and young men I love, and that love me, What you ask of my days, those the strangest and

sought to escape, confronting, reversing my cries; I see my own soul trampling down what it ask'd for.) 2

finish'd Sabbath, On the pavement here—and there beyond, it is looking, Down a new-made double grave. 2

resumed, the chaos louder than ever, with eager calls, and orders of officers; While from some distant part

ceaseless ferry, faces, and faces, and faces: I see them, and complain not, and am content with all. 2

I saunter'd, pondering, On time, space, reality—on such as these, and abreast with them, prudence. 2

is of consequence; Not a move can a man or woman make, that affects him or her in a day, month, any part

of his mouth, or the shaping of his great hands; All that is well thought or said this day on any part

The world does not so exist—no parts palpable or im- palpable impalpable so exist; No consummation exists

What is prudence, is indivisible, Declines to separate one part of life from every part, Divides not

destin'd conqueror—yet treacherous lip-smiles everywhere, And Death and infidelity at every step.) 2

west-bred face, To him the hereditary countenance bequeath'd, both mother's and father's, His first parts

employments, are you and me, Past, present, future, are you and me. 18 I swear I dare not shirk any part

of myself, Not any part of America, good or bad, Not the promulgation of Liberty—not to cheer up slaves

with the Power's pulsations—and the charm of my theme was upon me, Till the tissues that held me, parted

2 For we cannot tarry here, We must march my darlings, we must bear the brunt of danger, We, the youthful

through the sod, and turn it up under- neath underneath ; I am sure I shall expose some of the foul meat. 2

Perhaps every mite has once form'd part of a sick per- son person —Yet behold!

2 ('Tis while our army lines Carolina's sand and pines, Forth from thy hovel door, thou, Ethiopia, com'st

going with me leaves peace and routine behind him, And stakes his life, to be lost at any moment.) 2

heroes and martyrs, And when all life, and all the souls of men and women are discharged from any part

of the earth, Then only shall liberty, or the idea of liberty, be dis- charged discharged from that part

not so desperate at the battues of death—was not so shock'd at the repeated fusillades of the guns. 2

the blows strike revenge, or the heads of the nobles fall; The People scorn'd the ferocity of kings; 2

balk me, The pert apparel, the deform'd attitude, drunkenness, greed, premature death, all these I part

whither or how long; Perhaps soon, some day or night while I am singing, my voice will suddenly cease. 2

Your horizon rises—I see it parting away for more august dramas; I see not America only—I see not only

advancing with irresistible power on the world's stage; (Have the old forces, the old wars, played their parts

despite of people—Illustrates evil as well as good; How many hold despairingly yet to the models de- parted

all its horrors, serves, And how now, or at any time, each serves the exquisite transition of death. 2

inland and seaboard, When through These States walk a hundred millions of superb persons, When the rest part

And take the young woman's hand, and the young man's hand, for the last time. 2 I announce natural persons

2 The love of the Body of man or woman balks ac- count account —the body itself balks account; That of

I dare not desert the likes of you in other men and women, nor the likes of the parts of you; I believe

, All the governments, judges, gods, follow'd persons of the earth, These are contain'd in sex, as parts

touch you, For I could not die till I once look'd on you, For I fear'd I might afterwards lose you. 2

(Now we have met, we have look'd, we are safe; Return in peace to the ocean, my love; I too am part of

I will make divine magnetic lands, With the love of comrades, With the life-long love of comrades. 2

brown hands, and the silent manner of me, without charm; Yet comes one, a Manhattanese, and ever at parting

—No; But I record of two simple men I saw to-day, on the pier, in the midst of the crowd, parting the

part- ing parting of dear friends; The one to remain hung on the other's neck, and pas- sionately passionately

his brother, and for men, and I an- swer answer for him that answers for all, and send these signs. 2

his own, and bestows it upon men, and any man translates, and any man translates himself also; One part

does not counteract another part—he is the joiner—he sees how they join.

; Perfect sanity shows the master among philosophs; Time, always without flaw, indicates itself in parts

forth every day; And the first object he look'd upon, that object he became; And that object became part

of him for the day, or a certain part of the day, or for many years, or stretching cycles of years.

The early lilacs became part of this child, And grass, and white and red morning-glories, and white and

The field-sprouts of Fourth-month and Fifth-month became part of him; Winter-grain sprouts, and those

, They gave this child more of themselves than that; They gave him afterward every day—they became part

war, (that shall serve for our pre- lude prelude , songs of soldiers,) How Manhattan drum-taps led. 2

mother kisses her son—the son kisses his mother; (Loth is the mother to part—yet not a word does she

globe uprisen around me; Yet there with my soul I fed—I fed content, super- cilious supercilious . 2

THE CENTENARIAN'S STORY. VOLUNTEER OF 1861-2.

in myself—aye, long ago as it is, I took part in it, Walking then this hill-top, this same ground.

ceaseless ferry, faces, and faces, and faces: I see them, and complain not, and am content with all. 2

I saunter'd, pondering, On time, space, reality—on such as these, and abreast with them, prudence. 2

is of consequence; Not a move can a man or woman make, that affects him or her in a day, month, any part

of his mouth, or the shaping of his great hands; All that is well thought or said this day on any part

What is prudence, is indivisible, Declines to separate one part of life from every part, Divides not

destin'd conqueror—yet treacherous lip-smiles everywhere, And Death and infidelity at every step.) 2

west-bred face, To him the hereditary countenance bequeath'd, both mother's and father's, His first parts

employments, are you and me, Past, present, future, are you and me. 18 I swear I dare not shirk any part

of myself, Not any part of America, good or bad, Not the promulgation of Liberty—not to cheer up slaves

with the Power's pulsations—and the charm of my theme was upon me, Till the tissues that held me, parted

through the sod, and turn it up under- neath underneath ; I am sure I shall expose some of the foul meat. 2

Perhaps every mite has once form'd part of a sick per- son person —Yet behold!

2 ('Tis while our army lines Carolina's sand and pines, Forth from thy hovel door, thou, Ethiopia, com'st

going with me leaves peace and routine behind him, And stakes his life, to be lost at any moment.) 2

heroes and martyrs, And when all life, and all the souls of men and women are discharged from any part

of the earth, Then only shall liberty, or the idea of liberty, be dis- charged discharged from that part

not so desperate at the battues of death—was not so shock'd at the repeated fusillades of the guns. 2

the blows strike revenge, or the heads of the nobles fall; The People scorn'd the ferocity of kings; 2

balk me, The pert apparel, the deform'd attitude, drunkenness, greed, premature death, all these I part

Cluster: Songs of Parting. (1871) SONGS OF PARTING.

whither or how long; Perhaps soon, some day or night while I am singing, my voice will suddenly cease. 2

Your horizon rises—I see it parting away for more august dramas; I see not America only—I see not only

advancing with irresistible power on the world's stage; (Have the old forces, the old wars, played their parts

all its horrors, serves, And how now, or at any time, each serves the exquisite transition of death. 2

2 Be it so, then I answer'd, I too, haughty Shade, also sing war—and a longer and greater one than any

sailors young and old, haply will I, a reminiscence of the land, be read, In full rapport at last. 2

the hermit thrush from the swamp-cedars, Solitary, singing in the West, I strike up for a New World. 2

wend—they never stop, Successions of men, Americanos, a hundred millions; One generation playing its part

, and passing on; Another generation playing its part, and passing on in its turn, With faces turn'd

let others ignore what they may; I make the poem of evil also—I commemorate that part also; I am myself

how superb and how divine is your body, or any part of it. 15 Whoever you are!

the wood, and become undis- guised undisguised and naked; I am mad for it to be in contact with me. 2

If I worship one thing more than another, it shall be the spread of my own body, or any part of it.

I take part—I see and hear the whole; The cries, curses, roar—the plaudits for well-aimed shots; The

List to the story as my grandmother's father, the sailor, told it to me.

is but a part.