“Song of the Open Road” (3 of 15) by Walt Whitman [w/ Audio]

You air that serves me with breath to speak!
You objects that call from diffusion my
meanings and give them shape!
You light that wraps me and all things in
delicate equable showers!
You paths worn in the irregular hollows by
the roadsides!
I believe you are latent with unseen
existences, you are so dear to me.

You flagg'd walks of the cities! you strong
curbs at the edges!
You ferries! you planks and posts of wharves!
you timber-lined sides! you distant ships!

You rows of houses! you window-pierc'd
façades! you roofs!
You porches and entrances! you copings and
iron guards!
You windows whose transparent shells
might expose so much!
You doors and ascending steps! you arches!
You gray stones of interminable pavements!
you trodden crossings!
From all that has touch'd you I believe you
have imparted to yourselves, and now
would impart the same secretly to me,
From the living and the dead you have
peopled your impassive surfaces, and the
spirits thereof would be evident and
amicable with me.

Leave a comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.