The Walt Whitman Archive
Published Works
Books by Whitman
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - [begin page 370] - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
AS THE TIME DRAWS NIGH.
AS the time draws nigh glooming a cloud,
A dread beyond of I know not what darkens me.
I shall go forth,
I shall traverse the States awhile, but I cannot tell whither or how
long,
long,
Perhaps soon some day or night while I am singing my voice will
suddenly cease.
suddenly cease.
O book, O chants! must all then amount to but this?
Must we barely arrive at this beginning of us?—and yet it is
enough, O soul;
enough, O soul;
O soul, we have positively appear'd—that is enough.