Section 11

—The furious storm through me careering—I passionately trem- bling ;
The oath of the inseparableness of two together—of the woman that loves me, and whom I love more than my life—that oath swearing ;
1 After line 10, 1860, reads ‘‘ From the pent-up rivers of myself.’’
? 1860 reads ‘ten thousand years. ”?
3
4 186067. After line 25 read ‘The slave’s body for sale—I sternly with harsh voice auctioneering,”’
CHILDREN OF ADAM 97
(O I willingly stake all, for you!
O let me be lost, if it must be so!
O you and I—what is it to us what the rest do or think?
What is all else to us? only that we enjoy each other, and ex- haust each other, if it must be so :)
—From the master—the pilot I yield the vessel to ;
The general commanding me, commanding all—from him per-
mission taking ; 40 From time the programme hastening, (I.have loiter’d too long, as it is;)
From sex—From the warp and from the woof ;
(To talk to the perfect girl who understands me,’
To waft to her these from my own lips—to effuse them from my own body ;)
From privacy—from frequent repinings alone ;
From plenty of persons near, and yet the right person not Lear ;
From the soft sliding of hands over me, and thrusting of fingers through my hair and beard ;
From the long sustain’d kiss upon the mouth or bosom ;
From the close pressure that makes me or any man drunk, faint- ing with excess ;
From what the divine husband knows—from the work of father- hood ; 50
From exultation, victory, and relief—from the bedfellow’s em- brace in the night ;
From the act-poems of eyes, hands, hips, and bosoms,
From the cling of the trembling arm,
From the bending curve and the clinch,
From side by side, the pliant coverlid off-throwing,
From the one so unwilling to have me leave—and me just as un- willing to leave,
(Yet a moment, O tender waiter, and I return ;)
—From the hour of shining stars and dropping dews,
From the night, a moment, I, emerging, flitting out,
Celebrate you, act divine—and you, children prepared for,* 6o
And you, stalwart loins.
1 1860 reads ‘* who understands me—the girl of The States,’’ 2 1860 reads “‘ Celebrate you, enfans prepared for.’?
98 LEAVES OF GRASS
I] SING THE BODY ELECTRIC.
First published in 1855. In 1856 under title of ‘‘ Poem of the Body.” I
I sinc the Body electric ;*
The armies of those I love engirth me, and I engirth them ;?
They will not let me off till I go with them, respond to them,*
And discorrupt them, and charge them full with the charge of the Soul.*
Was it doubted that those who corrupt their own bodies conceal themselves ?°
And if® those who defile’ the living are as bad as they who de- file’ the dead?
And if the body does not do as much as the Soul ?°
And if the body were not the Soul, what is the Soul P
2
The love of the Body of man or woman balks account—the body itself balks account ;”°
That of"! the male is perfect, and that of the female is per- fect. 10
The expression of the face balks account ;”
1 « O mates !”’
2 1855 756 read ‘¢ The bodies of men and women engirth me and I engirth them.’’ 1860 reads ‘*O the bodies of you, and of all men and women en- girth me,”’ etc. "
3 1855 reads ‘‘and responds to them and lovethem.’’ 1856 reads ‘‘ respond to them love them.’’
* Line 4, added in 1860, reads ‘‘ And respond to the contact of them, and discorrupt them,’’ etc.
5 1855 reads ‘¢ Was it doubted if those who corrupt their own live bodies conceal themselves??? 1856 reads ‘‘ Was it dreamed whether those who cor- rupted their own live bodies could conceal themselves?’’? 1860 reads same as 56, omitting ‘‘live.’’
6 1855. For ‘‘if”’ reads ‘* whether.’’ 7,81855. For ‘¢ defile’ read “ defiled.??
9 Lines 7 and 8 added in 1856.
10 18 5556 read ‘* The expression of the body of man or woman balks ac- count,
ll « That of’’ added in 1860,
@ Line 11 added in 1860.
CHILDREN OF ADAM 99
But" a expression of a well-made man appears not only in his ace ; -
It is in his limbs and joints also, it is curiously in the joints of his hips and wrists ;
It is in his walk, the carriage of his neck, the flex of his waist and knees—dress does not hide him ;
The strong, sweet, supple quality he has, strikes through the cot- ton and flannel ;
To see him pass conveys as much as the best poem, perhaps more ;
You linger to see his back, and the back of his neck and shoulder-side.
The sprawl and fulness of babes, the bosoms and heads of women, the folds of their dress, their style as we pass in the street, the contour of their shape downwards,
The swimmer naked in the swimming-bath, seen as he swims through the’ transparent green-shine, or lies with his face up, and rolls silently to and fro in the heave of the
water,* The bending forward and backward of rowers in row-boats—the horseman in his saddle, 20
Girls, mothers, house-keepers, in all their performances,‘
The group of laborers seated at noon-time with their open din- ner-kettles, and their wives waiting,
The female soothing a child—the farmer’s daughter in the garden or cow-yard,
The’ young fellow hoeing corn—the sleigh-driver guiding his six horses through the crowd,
The wrestle of wrestlers, two apprentice-boys, quite grown, lusty, good-natured, native-born, out on the vacant lot at sun- down, after work,
The coats® and caps thrown down, the embrace of love and re- sistance,
1 «¢ But’? added in 1860. 2 1855 reads ‘‘ the salt transparent green- shine, or lies on his back, and rolls
silently with the heave of the water.’
Above reading adopted in 1856 except ‘‘ to and fro”’ added’: in 1860.
$1855 After line 19 reads “ Framers bare-armed framing a house, hoisting the beams in their places or using the mallet and mortising chisel.’
4 1855 reads ‘‘in all their exquisite offices.’
5 1855 reads ‘‘ The woodman rapidly swinging his axe in the woods, the young fellow,” etc.
6 1855 reads ‘‘ The coats, vests and caps,”’ etc.
100 LEAVES OF GRASS
The upper-hold and the under-hold, the hair rumpled over and blinding the eyes ;
The march of firemen in their own costumes, the play of mas- culine muscle through clean-setting trowsers and waist- straps,’
The slow return from the fire, the pause when the bell strikes suddenly again, and the listening on the alert,
The natural, perfect, varied attitudes—the bent head, the curv’d neck, and the counting ; 30
Such-like I love—I loosen myself, pass freely, am at the mother’s breast with the little child,
‘Swim with the swimmers, wrestle with wrestlers, march in line with the firemen, and pause, listen, and count.
3
I know a man, a common farmer—the father of five sons ;? And in them were the fathers of sons—and in them were the fathers of sons.
This man was of wonderful vigor, calmness, beauty of person ;
The shape of his head,’ the pale yellow and white of his hair and beard, and the immeasurable meaning of his black eyes —the richness and breadth of his manners,
These I used to go and visit him to see—he was wise also ;
He was six feet tall, he was over eighty years old—his sons were massive, clean, bearded, tan-faced, handsome ;
They and his daughters loved him—all who saw him loved him ;
They did not love him by allowance—they loved him with per- sonal love ; 40
He drank water only—the blood show’d like scarlet through ihe clear-brown skin of his face ;
He was a frequent gunner and fisher—he sail’d his boat him- ~ self—he had a fine one presented to him by a ship-joiner —he had fowling-pieces, presented to him by men that loved him ;
When he went with his five sons and many grand-sons to hunt or fish, you would pick him out as the most beautiful and vigorous of the gang.
1 1855 reads ‘¢ waistbands.’’
- 1855 756 ’60 read “‘he was a common farmer, he was the father of five sons.’
8 1855 ’56 60 read ‘* The shape of his head, the richness and breadth of his manners,”’’ etc.
CHILDREN OF ADAM Iol
You would wish long and long to be with him—you would wish to sit by him in the boat, that you and he might touch each other.
4
I have perceiv’d that to be with those I like is enough,
To stop in company with the rest at evening is enough,
To be surrounded by beautiful, curious, breathing, laughing flesh is enough,
To pass among them, or touch any one, or rest my arm ever so lightly round his or her neck for a moment—what is this, then ?
I do not ask any more delight—TI swim in it, as in a sea.
There is something in staying close to men and women, and looking on them, and in the contact and odor of them, that pleases the soul well ; 50 All things please the soul—but these please the soul well.
5
This is the female form ;
A divine nimbus exhales from it from head to foot ;
It attracts with fierce undeniable attraction !
Iam drawn by its breath as if I were no more than a helpless vapor—all falls aside but myself and it ;
Rooks, art, religion, time, the visible and solid earth, the atmos- phere and the’ clouds, and what was expected of heaven or fear’d of hell, are now consumed ;
Mad filaments, ungovernable shoots play out of it—the response likewise ungovernable ;
Hair, bosom, hips, bend of legs, negligent falling hands, all diffused—mine too diffused ;
Ebb stung by the flow, and flow stung by the ebb—love-flesh swelling and deliciously aching ;
Limitless limpid jets of love hot and enormous, quivering jelly of love, white-blow and delirious juice ; 60
Bridegroom night of love, working surely and softly into the prostrate dawn ;
Undulating into the willing and yielding day,
Lost in the cleave of the clasping and sweet-flesh’d day.
1 1855 reads ‘fringed clouds,”’ ete.
102 LEAVES OF GRASS
This is the nucleus—after the child is born of woman, the man is born of woman ;
This is the bath of birth—this is the merge of small and large, and the outlet again.
Be not ashamed, women—your privilege encloses the rest, and is the exit of the rest ;
You are the gates of the body, and you are the gates of the soul.
The female contains all qualities, and tempers them—she is in her place, and moves with perfect balance ;
She is all things duly veil’d—she is both passive and active ;
She is to conceive daughters as well as sons, and sons as well as daughters. 70
As I see my soul reflected in nature ;
As I see through a mist, one with inexpressible eine cee and beauty,
See the bent head, and arms folded over the breast—the female T see.*
6
The male is not less the soul, nor more—he too is in his place ;
He too is all qualities—he is action and power ;
The flush of the known universe is in him ;
Scorn becomes him well, and appetite and defiance become him well ;
The wildest’ largest passions, bliss that is utmost, sorrow that is utmost, become him well—pride is for him ;
The full-spread pride of man is calming and excellent to the
soul ; Knowledge becomes him—he likes it always—he brings every- thing to the test of himself ; 80
Whatever the survey, whatever the sea and the sail, he strikes soundings at last only here ; (Where else does he strike soundings, except here ?)
1 1855 756. After line 73 read ‘I see the bearer of the great fruit which is immortality, the good thereof is not tasted by roues, and never can be,” 1855756, For ** wildest’? read ‘é fiercest.’’
CHILDREN OF ADAM “aROR
The man’s body is sacred, and the woman’s body is sacred ;
No matter who it is, it is sacred ;}
Is it aslave? Is it one of the dull-faced immigrants just landed on the wharf?
Each belongs here or anywhere, just as much as the well-off— just as much as you ;
Each has his or her place in the procession.
(All is a procession ; The universe is a procession, with measured and beautiful mo- tion. )
Do you know so much yourself,’ that you call the slave or the dull-face ignorant ? go
Do you suppose you have a right to a good sight, and he or she has no right to a sight ?
Do you think matter has cohered together from its diffuse float— and the soil is on the surface, and water runs, and vege- tation sprouts, :
For you only,’ and not for him and her?
7
A man’s Body at auction ;* I help the auctioneer—the sloven does not half know his busi- ness.
Gentlemen, look on this wonder !®
Whatever the bids of the bidders, they cannot be high enough for it ;
For it the globe lay preparing quintillions of years, without one animal or plant ;
For it the revolving cycles truly and steadily roll’d.
In this® head the all-baffling brain ; 100 In it and below it, the makings of heroes."
1 Line 83 in 185556 is part of line 82 and reads “it is no matter who.” “Tt is sacred’? added in 13860.
2 “vourself’’ added in 1860.
3 ¢¢only ”’ added in 1860.
£ 1855 reads ‘‘ A slave at auction.”’
5 7855. For ‘‘ wonder’? reads ‘curious creature ;’’ in lines 97, 98, 99, for
6 1855. For ‘ this’’ reads
7 1855 75660 read ‘‘ the making of the attributes of heroes.’’
104. LEAVES OF GRASS
Examine these limbs, red, black, or white—they are so! cunning in tendon and nerve ; They shall be stript, that you may see them.
Exquisite senses, life-lit eyes, pluck, volition,
Flakes of breast-muscle, pliant back-bone and neck, flesh not flabby, good-sized arms and legs,
And wonders within there yet.
Within there runs blood,’
The same old blood !
The same red-running blood !
There swells and jets a heart*—there all passions, desires, reach- ings, aspirations ; IIo
Do you think they are not there because they are not express’d in parlors and lecture-rooms ?
This is not only one man—this is the father of those who shall be fathers in their turns ;
In him the start of populous states and rich republics ;
Of him countless immortal lives, with countless embodiments and enjoyments.
-How do you know who shall come from the offspring of his off- spring through the centuries ?
Who might you find you have come from yourself, if you could trace back through the centuries ?
8
A woman’s Body at auction ! She too is not only herself—she is the teeming mother of
mothers ; She is the bearer of them that shall grow and be mates to the mothers. * Have you ever loved the Body of a woman ?® 120
1855. For “so” reads ‘‘very.”?
1855 reads ‘‘ runs his blood.’’
1855 reads ‘‘his heart.”
1855756760, After line 119 read ‘‘ Her daughters or their daughters’ daughters—who knows who shall mate with them?
Who knows through the centuries what heroes may come from them?
In them and of them natal love—in them the divine mystery—the same old
beautiful mystery.’?
5 1855 reads ‘‘ Have you ever loved a woman ?”’
~~ ON
CHILDREN OF ADAM 105
Have you ever loved the Body of a man?!
Your father—where is your father ?
Your mother—is she living ? have you been much with her ? and has she been much with you?
—Do you not see that these are exactly the same to all, in all nations and times, all over the earth?
If any thing is sacred,” the human body is sacred,
And the glory and sweet of a man, is the token of manhood un- tainted ;
And in man or woman, a clean, strong, firm-fibred body, is beau- tiful as the most beautiful face.
Have you seen the fool that corrupted his own live body ? or the fool that corrupted her own live body ? For they do not conceal themselves, and cannot conceal them-
selves.* 4
2
O my Body! I dare not desert the likes of you in other men a women, nor the likes of the parts of you;
I believe the likes of you are to stand or fall with the likes of the Soul, (and that they are the Soul ;)°
I believe the likes of you shall stand or fall with my poems—and that they are poems,
Man’s, woman’s, child’s, youth’s, wife’s, husband’s, mother’s, father’s, young man’s, young woman’s poems ;
Head, neck, hair, ears, drop and tympan of the ears,
Eyes, eye-fringes, iris of the eye, eye-brows, and the waking or sleeping of the lids,
Mouth, tongue, lips, teeth, roof of the mouth, jaws, and the jaw- hinges,
Nose, nostrils of the nose, and the partition,
Cheeks, temples, forehead, chin, throat, back of the neck, neck-slue,
Strong shoulders, manly beard, scapula, hind-shoulders, and the ample side-round of the chest.
1 Lines 121-122 added in 1856. 2 1855 reads ‘If life and the soul are sacred.”’ 3 After line 129, 1855 reads ‘¢ Who degrades or defiles the living human body is cursed, Who degrades or defiles the body of the dead is not more cursed.” Which ends the poem of that edition. £ Line 130 to end added in 1856. 5 «« (and they are the Soul) ”’ added in 1860.