Walt Whitman en enige van zijn genoteerde gedachten (1)

BEAUTIFUL WOMEN:
WOMEN sit or move to and fro, some old, some young.
The young are beautiful — but the old aremore beautiful 
than the young.

(1860)

THOUGHT
OF EQUALITY — as if it harm'd me, giving others the same 
chances and rights as myself — as if it were not indispensable 
to my own rights that others possess the same.

(1860)

LOCATIONS AND TIMES:

LOCATIONS and times what is it in me that meets them
 all, whenever and wherever, and makes me at home? 
Farms, colors, densities, odors — what is it in me that 
corresponds with them?

(1860)

WHAT AM I AFTER ALL

WHAT am I after all but a child, pleas'd with the sound
of my own name? repeating it over and over;
I stand apart to hear — it never tires me.

To you, your name also;

Did you think there was nothing but two or three 
pronunciations inthe sound of your name?

(1860)

Signatuur van de Amerikaanse dichter, essayist en
prozaschrijver Walt Whitman (1819-1892)

LOOK DOWN FAIR MOON:
LOOK down fair moon and bathe this scene,
Pour softly down night's nimbus floods on faces ghastly, 
swollen, purple,
On the dead on their backs with arms toss'd wide,
Pour down your unstinted nibus sacred moon.
(1865)

THE CALMING THOUGHT OF ALL:
THAT coursing on, whate'er men's speculations,
Amd the changing schools, theologies, philosophies,
Amid the bawling presentations new and old,
The round earth's silent vital laws, facts, modes continue.
(1888)

STRONGER LESSONS:
HAVE you learn'd lessons only of those who admired 
you and were tender with you, and stood aside for you?
Have you not learn'd great lessons from those who reject 
you, and brac themselves against you? or who treat 
you with contempt, or dispute the passage with you?
(1888)
_________
Twee gedichten van deze Amerikaanse grootmeester in het omgaan met taal en denken vindt u in een bijdrage op onze zustersite Tempel der Dichtkunst.