Wednesday, June 15, 2011

your very flesh shall be a great poem....



Walt Whitman


Love the earth and sun and the animals,
despise riches, give alms to everyone that asks,
stand up for the stupid and crazy,
devote your income and labor to others,
hate tyrants, argue not concerning God,
have patience and indulgence toward the people,
take off your hat to nothing known or unknown,
or to any man or number of men,
go freely with powerful uneducated persons,
and with the young, and with the mothers or families,
re-examine all you have been told in school 
or church or in any book,
and dismiss whatever insults your own soul;
and your very flesh shall be a great poem….
                                    Walt Whitman

From the Preface to Leaves of Grass, 1855 edition


2 comments:

  1. His poems are meant to be read aloud - he has a rhythm to his words when spoken aloud as affirmations of life.

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  2. You are so right. I just read it aloud. Perfect.

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