The Walt Whitman Archive
Published Works
Books by Whitman
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - [begin page 240] - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
21.
1NOW I make a leaf of Voices—for I have found noth-
ing mightier than they are,
ing mightier than they are,
And I have found that no word spoken, but is beau-
tiful, in its place.
tiful, in its place.
2O what is it in me that makes me tremble so at
voices?
voices?
3Surely, whoever speaks to me in the right voice, him
or her I shall follow, as the waters follow the
moon, silently, with fluid steps, any where around
the globe.
or her I shall follow, as the waters follow the
moon, silently, with fluid steps, any where around
the globe.
4Now I believe that all waits for the right voices;
Where is the practised and perfect organ? Where is
the developed Soul?
the developed Soul?
For I see every word uttered thence has deeper,
sweeter, new sounds, impossible on less terms.
sweeter, new sounds, impossible on less terms.
5I see brains and lips closed—I see tympans and tem-
ples unstruck,
ples unstruck,
Until that comes which has the quality to strike and
to unclose,
to unclose,
Until that comes which has the quality to bring forth
what lies slumbering, forever ready, in all words.
what lies slumbering, forever ready, in all words.