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Leaves of Grass (1891-92)
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VOCALISM.
1
VOCALISM, measure, concentration, determination, and the divine
power to speak words;
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Are you full-lung'd and limber-lipp'd from long trial? from vigor-
ous practice? from physique?
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Do you move in these broad lands as broad as they? |
Come duly to the divine power to speak words? |
For only at last after many years, after chastity, friendship, procrea-
tion, prudence, and nakedness,
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After treading ground and breasting river and lake, |
After a loosen'd throat, after absorbing eras, temperaments, races,
after knowledge, freedom, crimes,
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After complete faith, after clarifyings, elevations, and removing
obstructions,
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After these and more, it is just possible there comes to a man, a
woman, the divine power to speak words;
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Then toward that man or that woman swiftly hasten all—none
refuse, all attend,
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Armies, ships, antiquities, libraries, paintings, machines, cities,
hate, despair, amity, pain, theft, murder, aspiration, form in
close ranks,
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They debouch as they are wanted to march obediently through
the mouth of that man or that woman.
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2
O what is it in me that makes me tremble so at voices? |
Surely whoever speaks to me in the right voice, him or her I shall
follow,
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As the water follows the moon, silently, with fluid steps, anywhere
around the globe.
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All waits for the right voices; |
Where is the practis'd and perfect organ? where is the develop'd
soul?
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For I see every word utter'd thence has deeper, sweeter, new
sounds, impossible on less terms.
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View Page 298
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I see brains and lips closed, tympans and temples unstruck, |
Until that comes which has the quality to strike and to unclose, |
Until that comes which has the quality to bring forth what lies
slumbering forever ready in all words.
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