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Leaves of Grass (1891-92)
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CHANTING THE SQUARE DEIFIC.
1
CHANTING the square deific, out of the One advancing, out of the
sides,
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Out of the old and new, out of the square entirely divine, |
Solid, four-sided, (all the sides needed,) from this side Jehovah
am I,
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Old Brahm I, and I Saturnius am; |
Not Time affects me—I am Time, old, modern as any, |
Unpersuadable, relentless, executing righteous judgments, |
As the Earth, the Father, the brown old Kronos, with laws, |
Aged beyond computation, yet ever new, ever with those mighty
laws rolling,
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Relentless I forgive no man—whoever sins dies—I will have
that man's life;
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Therefore let none expect mercy—have the seasons, gravitation,
the appointed days, mercy? no more have I,
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But as the seasons and gravitation, and as all the appointed days
that forgive not,
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I dispense from this side judgments inexorable without the least
remorse.
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2
Consolator most mild, the promis'd one advancing, |
With gentle hand extended, the mightier God am I, |
Foretold by prophets and poets in their most rapt prophecies and
poems,
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From this side, lo! the Lord Christ gazes—lo! Hermes I—lo!
mine is Hercules' face,
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All sorrow, labor, suffering, I, tallying it, absorb in myself, |
Many times have I been rejected, taunted, put in prison, and
crucified, and many times shall be again,
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All the world have I given up for my dear brothers' and sisters'
sake, for the soul's sake,
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Wending my way through the homes of men, rich or poor, with
the kiss of affection,
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For I am affection, I am the cheer-bringing God, with hope and
all-enclosing charity,
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With indulgent words as to children, with fresh and sane words,
mine only,
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Young and strong I pass knowing well I am destin'd myself to an
early death;
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But my charity has no death—my wisdom dies not, neither early
nor late,
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And my sweet love bequeath'd here and elsewhere never dies. |
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3
Aloof, dissatisfied, plotting revolt, |
Comrade of criminals, brother of slaves, |
Crafty, despised, a drudge, ignorant, |
With sudra face and worn brow, black, but in the depths of my
heart, proud as any,
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Lifted now and always against whoever scorning assumes to rule me, |
Morose, full of guile, full of reminiscences, brooding, with many
wiles,
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(Though it was thought I was baffled and dispel'd, and my wiles
done, but that will never be,)
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Defiant, I, Satan, still live, still utter words, in new lands duly
appearing, (and old ones also,)
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Permanent here from my side, warlike, equal with any, real as any, |
Nor time nor change shall ever change me or my words. |
4
Santa Spirita, breather, life, |
Beyond the light, lighter than light, |
Beyond the flames of hell, joyous, leaping easily above hell, |
Beyond Paradise, perfumed solely with mine own perfume, |
Including all life on earth, touching, including God, including
Saviour and Satan,
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Ethereal, pervading all, (for without me what were all? what were
God?)
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Essence of forms, life of the real identities, permanent, positive,
(namely the unseen,)
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Life of the great round world, the sun and stars, and of man,
I, the general soul,
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Here the square finishing, the solid, I the most solid, |
Breathe my breath also through these songs. |
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