Walt Whitman

LEAVES OF GRASS
(1891-92 issue)
complete book, e-book

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BOOK IX

Song of the Answerer

1

 Now list to my morning's romanza, I tell the signs of the Answerer,
 To the cities and farms I sing as they spread in the sunshine before me.
 
 A young man comes to me bearing a message from his brother,
 How shall the young man know the whether and when of his brother?
 Tell him to send me the signs. And I stand before the young man
 face to face, and take his right hand in my left hand and his
 left hand in my right hand,
 And I answer for his brother and for men, and I answer for him that
 answers for all, and send these signs.
 
 Him all wait for, him all yield up to, his word is decisive and final,
 Him they accept, in him lave, in him perceive themselves as amid light,
 Him they immerse and he immerses them.
 
 Beautiful women, the haughtiest nations, laws, the landscape,
 people, animals,
 The profound earth and its attributes and the unquiet ocean, (so
 tell I my morning's romanza,)
 All enjoyments and properties and money, and whatever money will buy,
 The best farms, others toiling and planting and he unavoidably reaps,
 The noblest and costliest cities, others grading and building and he
 domiciles there,
 Nothing for any one but what is for him, near and far are for him,
 the ships in the offing,
 The perpetual shows and marches on land are for him if they are for anybody.
 
 He puts things in their attitudes,
 He puts to-day out of himself with plasticity and love,
 He places his own times, reminiscences, parents, brothers and
 sisters, associations, employment, politics, so that the rest
 never shame them afterward, nor assume to command them.
 
 He is the Answerer,
 What can be answer'd he answers, and what cannot be answer'd he
 shows how it cannot be answer'd.
 
 A man is a summons and challenge,
 (It is vain to skulk--do you hear that mocking and laughter? do you
 hear the ironical echoes?)
 
 Books, friendships, philosophers, priests, action, pleasure, pride,
 beat up and down seeking to give satisfaction,
 He indicates the satisfaction, and indicates them that beat up and
 down also.
 
 Whichever the sex, whatever the season or place, he may go freshly
 (...)
(......)