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Leaves of Grass 209Book 22 · Chapter 16

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Literature · Poetry

Leaves of Grass 209

Book 22 · Chapter 16

WhitmanEnglish
Underneath all, Nativity, I swear I will stand by my own nativity, pious or impious so be it; I swear I am charm’d with nothing except nativity, Men, women, cities, nations, are only beautiful from nativity.
Underneath all is the Expression of love for men and women, (I swear I have seen enough of mean and impotent modes of expressing love for men and women, After this day I take my own modes of expressing love for men and women.) in myself,
I swear I will have each quality of my race in myself, (Talk as you like, he only suits these States whose manners favor the audacity and sublime turbulence of the States.)
Underneath the lessons of things, spirits, Nature, governments, ownerships, I swear I perceive other lessons, Underneath all to me is myself, to you yourself, (the same monotonous old song.)

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Leaves of Grass 208Leaves of Grass 210
Sources & credits: Whitman

Whitman — Leaves of Grass (Walt Whitman) (1855). Public Domain. Walt Whitman, Leaves of Grass; public domain in the US; text from Project Gutenberg #1322. Source

Literature · Poetry

Leaves of Grass 210

WhitmanEnglish