Nature's Way

City of Orgies

CITY of orgies, walks and joys!

City whom that I have lived and sung in your midst will one day make

you illustrious,

Not the pageants of you--not your shifting tableaux, your spectacles,

repay me;

Not the interminable rows of your houses--nor the ships at the

wharves,

Nor the processions in the streets, nor the bright windows, with

goods in them;

Nor to converse with learn'd persons, or bear my share in the soiree

or feast;

Not those--but, as I pass, O Manhattan! your frequent and swift flash

of eyes offering me love,

Offering response to my own--these repay me;

Lovers, continual lovers, only repay me.

W. Whitman

A Woman Waits For Me

A WOMAN waits for me--she contains all, nothing is lacking,

Yet all were lacking, if sex were lacking, or if the moisture of the

right man were lacking.

Sex contains all,

Bodies, Souls, meanings, proofs, purities, delicacies, results,

promulgations,

Songs, commands, health, pride, the maternal mystery, the seminal

milk;

All hopes, benefactions, bestowals,

All the passions, loves, beauties, delights of the earth,

All the governments, judges, gods, follow'd persons of the earth,

These are contain'd in sex, as parts of itself, and justifications of

itself.

Without shame the man I like knows and avows the deliciousness of his

sex, 10

Without shame the woman I like knows and avows hers.

Now I will dismiss myself from impassive women,

I will go stay with her who waits for me, and with those women that

are warm-blooded and sufficient for me;

I see that they understand me, and do not deny me;

I see that they are worthy of me--I will be the robust husband of

those women.

They are not one jot less than I am,

They are tann'd in the face by shining suns and blowing winds,

Their flesh has the old divine suppleness and strength,

They know how to swim, row, ride, wrestle, shoot, run, strike,

retreat, advance, resist, defend themselves,

They are ultimate in their own right--they are calm, clear, well-

possess'd of themselves. 20

I draw you close to me, you women!

I cannot let you go, I would do you good,

I am for you, and you are for me, not only for our own sake, but for

others' sakes;

Envelop'd in you sleep greater heroes and bards,

They refuse to awake at the touch of any man but me.

It is I, you women--I make my way,

I am stern, acrid, large, undissuadable--but I love you,

I do not hurt you any more than is necessary for you,

I pour the stuff to start sons and daughters fit for These States--I

press with slow rude muscle,

I brace myself effectually--I listen to no entreaties, 30

I dare not withdraw till I deposit what has so long accumulated

within me.

Through you I drain the pent-up rivers of myself,

In you I wrap a thousand onward years,

On you I graft the grafts of the best-beloved of me and America,

The drops I distil upon you shall grow fierce and athletic girls, new

artists, musicians, and singers,

The babes I beget upon you are to beget babes in their turn,

I shall demand perfect men and women out of my love-spendings,

I shall expect them to interpenetrate with others, as I and you

interpenetrate now,

I shall count on the fruits of the gushing showers of them, as I

count on the fruits of the gushing showers I give now,

I shall look for loving crops from the birth, life, death,

immortality, I plant so lovingly now. 40

W. Whitman

Exelsior

WHO has gone farthest? For lo! have not I gone farther? And who has been just? For I would be the most just person of the earth; And who most cautious? For I would be more cautious; And who has been happiest? O I think it is I! I think no one was ever happier than I; And who has lavish'd all? For I lavish constantly the best I have; And who has been firmest? For I would be firmer; And who proudest? For I think I have reason to be the proudest son alive--for I am the son of the brawny and tall-topt city; And who has been bold and true? For I would be the boldest and truest being of the universe; And who benevolent? For I would show more benevolence than all the rest; And who has projected beautiful words through the longest time? Have I not outvied him? have I not said the words that shall stretch through longer time? 10 And who has receiv'd the love of the most friends? For I know what it is to receive the passionate love of many friends; And who possesses a perfect and enamour'd body? For I do not believe any one possesses a more perfect or enamour'd body than mine; And who thinks the amplest thoughts? For I will surround those thoughts; And who has made hymns fit for the earth? For I am mad with devouring extasy to make joyous hymns for the whole earth! W. Whitman