lunes, 7 de mayo de 2012

"All is truth" by Walt Whitman


Walt Whitman

1819–92, American poet, b. West Hills, N.Y. Considered by many to be the greatest of all American poets, Walt Whitman celebrated the freedom and dignity of the individual and sang the praises of democracy and the brotherhood of man. His Leaves of Grass, unconventional in both content and technique, is probably the most influential volume of poems in the history of American literature.
I celebrate myself; / And what I assume you shall assume/ For every atom belonging to me, as good belongs to you.Leaves of Grass



All is Truth
O ME, man of slack faith so long!

Standing aloof—denying portions so long;

Only aware to-day of compact, all-diffused truth;

Discovering to-day there is no lie, or form of lie, and can be none, but grows as inevitably upon itself as the truth does upon itself,

Or as any law of the earth, or any natural production of the earth does.
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(This is curious, and may not be realized immediately—But it must be realized;

I feel in myself that I represent falsehoods equally with the rest,

And that the universe does.)

  

Where has fail’d a perfect return, indifferent of lies or the truth?

Is it upon the ground, or in water or fire? or in the spirit of man? or in the meat and blood?
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Meditating among liars, and retreating sternly into myself, I see that there are really no liars or lies after all,

And that nothing fails its perfect return—And that what are called lies are perfect returns,

And that each thing exactly represents itself, and what has preceded it,

And that the truth includes all, and is compact, just as much as space is compact,

And that there is no flaw or vacuum in the amount of the truth—but that all is truth without exception;
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And henceforth I will go celebrate anything I see or am,

And sing and laugh, and deny nothing.


Walt Whitman

In 1855 Whitman published at his own expense a volume of 12 poems, Leaves of Grass, which he had begun working on probably as early as 1847. It was criticized because of Whitman’s exaltation of the body and sexual love and also because of its innovation in verse form

1 comentario:

  1. To be honest, the poem of Walt Whitman I like because first of all, it’s very unusual for me read a poem in English. Secondly it’s very unconventional and show what the author feels. Finally, I have never known this author. I will write to you later on!
    Carolina Souza.

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