Voices

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




   NOW I make a leaf of Voices--for I have found nothing mightier than
         they are,
   And I have found that no word spoken, but is beautiful, in its place.

   O what is it in me that makes me tremble so at voices?
   Surely, whoever speaks to me in the right voice, him or her I shall
         follow,
   As the water follows the moon, silently, with fluid steps, anywhere
         around the globe.

   All waits for the right voices;
   Where is the practis'd and perfect organ? Where is the develop'd
         Soul?
   For I see every word utter'd thence, has deeper, sweeter, new sounds,
         impossible on less terms.

   I see brains and lips closed--tympans and temples unstruck,
   Until that comes which has the quality to strike and to unclose,   10
   Until that comes which has the quality to bring forth what lies
         slumbering, forever ready, in all words.

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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

45 sec read
115

Quick analysis:

Scheme XXA BXXXX BXXXX XAXX
Closest metre Iambic hexameter
Characters 877
Words 147
Stanzas 4
Stanza Lengths 3, 5, 5, 4

Walt Whitman

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

All Walt Whitman poems | Walt Whitman Books

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