The Walt Whitman Archive
Published Works
Books by Whitman
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4.
1A WOMAN waits for me—she contains all, nothing is
lacking,
lacking,
Yet all were lacking, if sex were lacking, or if the
moisture of the right man were lacking.
moisture of the right man were lacking.
2Sex contains all,
Bodies, Souls, meanings, proofs, purities, delicacies,
results, promulgations,
results, promulgations,
Songs, commands, health, pride, the maternal mystery,
the semitic milk,
the semitic milk,
All hopes, benefactions, bestowals,
All the passions, loves, beauties, delights of the
earth,
earth,
All the governments, judges, gods, followed persons
of the earth,
of the earth,
These are contained in sex, as parts of itself, and jus-
tifications of itself.
tifications of itself.
3Without shame the man I like knows and avows the
deliciousness of his sex,
deliciousness of his sex,
Without shame the woman I like knows and avows
hers.
hers.
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4O I will fetch bully breeds of children yet!
I will dismiss myself from impassive women,
I will go stay with her who waits for me, and with
those women that are warm-blooded and suffi-
cient for me;
those women that are warm-blooded and suffi-
cient for me;
I see that they understand me, and do not deny me,
I see that they are worthy of me—I will be the robust
husband of those women.
husband of those women.
5They are not one jot less than I am,
They are tanned in the face by shining suns and blow-
ing winds,
ing winds,
Their flesh has the old divine suppleness and strength,
They know how to swim, row, ride, wrestle, shoot,
run, strike, retreat, advance, resist, defend them-
selves,
run, strike, retreat, advance, resist, defend them-
selves,
They are ultimate in their own right—they are calm,
clear, well-possessed of themselves.
clear, well-possessed of themselves.
6I draw you close to me, you women!
I cannot let you go, I would do you good,
I am for you, and you are for me, not only for our
own sake, but for others' sakes;
own sake, but for others' sakes;
Enveloped in you sleep greater heroes and bards,
They refuse to awake at the touch of any man but me.
7It is I, you women—I make my way,
I am stern, acrid, large, undissuadable—but I love
you,
you,
I do not hurt you any more than is necessary for you,
I pour the stuff to start sons and daughters fit for These
States—I press with slow rude muscle,
States—I press with slow rude muscle,
I brace myself effectually—I listen to no entreaties,
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I dare not withdraw till I deposit what has so long
accumulated within me.
accumulated within me.
8Through you I drain the pent-up rivers of myself,
In you I wrap a thousand onward years,
On you I graft the grafts of the best-beloved of me and
of America,
of America,
The drops I distil upon you shall grow fierce and
athletic girls, new artists, musicians, and singers,
athletic girls, new artists, musicians, and singers,
The babes I beget upon you are to beget babes in
their turn,
their turn,
I shall demand perfect men and women out of my
love-spendings,
love-spendings,
I shall expect them to interpenetrate with others, as I
and you interpenetrate now,
and you interpenetrate now,
I shall count on the fruits of the gushing showers of
them, as I count on the fruits of the gushing
showers I give now,
them, as I count on the fruits of the gushing
showers I give now,
I shall look for loving crops from the birth, life, death,
immortality, I plant so lovingly now.
immortality, I plant so lovingly now.