Says

Walt Whitman 1819 (West Hills) – 1892 (Camden)




   I SAY whatever tastes sweet to the most perfect person, that is
         finally right.

   I say nourish a great intellect, a great brain;
   If I have said anything to the contrary, I hereby retract it.

   I say man shall not hold property in man;
   I say the least developed person on earth is just as important and
         sacred to himself or herself, as the most developed person is
         to himself or herself.

   I say where liberty draws not the blood out of slavery, there slavery
         draws the blood out of liberty,
   I say the word of the good old cause in These States, and resound it
         hence over the world.

   I say the human shape or face is so great, it must never be made
         ridiculous;
   I say for ornaments nothing outre can be allowed,
   And that anything is most beautiful without ornament,              10
   And that exaggerations will be sternly revenged in your own
         physiology, and in other persons' physiology also;
   And I say that clean-shaped children can be jetted and conceived only
         where natural forms prevail in public, and the human face and
         form are never caricatured;
   And I say that genius need never more be turned to romances,
   (For facts properly told, how mean appear all romances.)

   I say the word of lands fearing nothing--I will have no other land;
   I say discuss all and expose all--I am for every topic openly;
   I say there can be no salvation for These States without innovators--
         without free tongues, and ears willing to hear the tongues;
   And I announce as a glory of These States, that they respectfully
         listen to propositions, reforms, fresh views and doctrines,
         from successions of men and women,
   Each age with its own growth.

   I have said many times that materials and the Soul are great, and
         that all depends on physique;                                20
   Now I reverse what I said, and affirm that all depends on the
         æsthetic or intellectual,
   And that criticism is great--and that refinement is greatest of all;
   And I affirm now that the mind governs--and that all depends on the
         mind.

   With one man or woman--(no matter which one--I even pick out the
         lowest,)
   With him or her I now illustrate the whole law;
   I say that every right, in politics or what-not, shall be eligible to
         that one man or woman, on the same terms as any.

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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on April 19, 2023

1:59 min read
80

Quick analysis:

Scheme AX XB XCAX DDBX XXXXXXDCXAA XDXXDXXX CXEXXEX EXXXD
Closest metre Iambic heptameter
Characters 2,413
Words 399
Stanzas 8
Stanza Lengths 2, 2, 4, 4, 11, 8, 7, 5

Walt Whitman

Walter "Walt" Whitman was an American poet, essayist and journalist. more…

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