Quotes from Walt Whitman

We convince by our presence.

I am the man, I suffer'd, I was there.

To have great poets, there must be great audiences, too.

Those things most listened for, certainly those are the things least said.

Dark mother always gliding near with soft feet,Have none chanted for thee a chant of fullest welcome?

There is that indescribable freshness and unconsciousness about an illiterate person that humbles and mocks the power of the noblest expressive genius.

The Real War Will Never Get in the Books. And so good-bye to the war.

The genius of the United States is not best or most in its executives or legislatures, nor in its ambassadors or authors or colleges, or churches, or parlors, nor even in its newspapers or inventors, but always most in the common people.

Young man I think I know you—I think this face is the face of the Christ himself,Dead and divine and brother of all, and here again he lies.

I depart from materials,I am as one disembodied, triumphant, dead.

I may be as bad as the worst, but, thank God, I am as good as the best.

A great city is that which has the greatest men and women,If it be a few ragged huts it is still the greatest city in the whole world.

As Adam early in the morning,Walking forth from the bower refresh'd with sleep,Behold me where I pass, hear my voice, approach,Touch me, touch the palm of your hand to my body as I pass,Be not afraid of my body.

...the powerful play goes on, and you will contribute a verse.

O Captain! my Captain! our fearful trip is done,The ship has weather'd every rack, the prize we sought is won,The port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting.

I celebrate myself, and sing myself,And what I assume you shall assume,For every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you.I loafe and invite my soul,I lean and loafe at my ease observing a spear of summer grass.

I hear America singing, the varied carols I hear.

I dote on myself, there is that lot of me and all so luscious.

This is the grass that grows wherever the land is and the water is,This is the common air that bathes the globe.

Books are not men—

In the faces of men and women I see God, and in my own face in the glass, I find letters from God dropped in the street, and every one is signed by God's name. And I leave them where they are, for I know that wherever I go, others will punctually come for ever and ever.

Sex contains all, Bodies, Souls, meanings, proofs, purities, delicacies, results, promulgations, Songs, commands, health, pride, the maternal mystery, the seminal milk; All hopes, benefactions, bestowals, All the passions, loves, beauties, delights of the earth, All the governments, judges, gods, follow'd persons of the earth, These are contain'd in sex, as parts of itself, and justifications of itself.

I no doubt deserved my enemies, but I don't believe I deserved my friends.

The beauty of independence, departure, actions that rely on themselves.