"ההתבוננות איננה מתת
אלוה, אלא יכולת נרכשת." / וולט ויטמן
"Observation is
not a divine gift, but a cultivated faculty."
(מתוך ריאיון נדיר
שנערך עמו בשנת 1911 ופורסם תחת הכותרת Walt Whitman and Mental Science )
שיר הדרך הפתוחה / וולט
ויטמן
1
קַל לֵבָב וְרֶגֶל
אֲנִי עוֹלֶה לַדֶּרֶךְ הַפְּתוּחָה,
בָּרִיא, חָפְשִׁי,
הָעוֹלָם לְפָנַי,
הַנָּתִיב הָאָרֹךְ
הַחוּם לְפָנַי, מוֹלִיךְ לְאָן שֶׁאֶבְחַר.
מֵעַתָּה וָאֵילָךְ
אֵינִי שׁוֹאֵל לְמַזָּל-טוֹב, אֲנִי עַצְמִי הוּא הַמַּזָּל הַטּוֹב,
מֵעַתָּה וָאֵילָךְ
אֵינִי מְיַבֵּב יוֹתֵר, מְעַכֵּב יוֹתֵר, לֹא זָקוּק לְדָבָר
אֵין יוֹתֵר קֻבְלָנוֹת
פְּנִימִיּוֹת, רְשׁוּמוֹת, בִּקּוֹרוֹת נִרְגָּנוֹת,
חָזָק וּמָלֵא אֲנִי
נוֹסֵעַ בַּדֶּרֶךְ הַפְּתוּחָה.
הָאָרֶץ, הִיא מַסְפֶּקֶת,
אֵינִי רוֹצֶה כִּי
מַעַרְכוֹת הַכּוֹכָבִים יִהְיוּ קְרוֹבוֹת יוֹתֵר,
אֲנִי יוֹדֵעַ כִּי הֵן
נִמְצָאוֹת הֵיטֵב הֵיכָן שֶׁהֵן,
אֲנִי יוֹדֵעַ כִּי הֵן
מַסְפִּיקוֹת לְאֵלּוּ הַשַּׁיָּכִים לָהֶן.
(עֲדַיִן נוֹשֵׂא
עִמִּי אֶת טַעַם מַסּוֹתַיי הַנּוֹשָׁנוֹת,
נוֹשֵׂא אֲנִי אוֹתָם,
גְּבָרִים וְנָשִׁים, נוֹשֵׂא אֲנִי אוֹתָם לְאָן שֶׁאֵלֵךְ,
נִשְׁבָּע אֲנִי כִּי
אֵין אֶפְשָׁרִי לִי לְהִפָּטֵר מֵהֶם,
מָלֵא אֲנִי בָּהֶם,
וּבִתְמוּרָה אֲמַלֵּא אוֹתָם.)
2
אַתְּ דֶּרֶךְ אֵלֶיהָ
אֲנִי נִכְנָס וּמַבִּיט סָבִיב, אֲנִי מַאֲמִין שֶׁאֵינֵךְ כָּל מָה שֶׁיֵּשׁ
כָּאן,
אֲנִי מַאֲמִין
שֶׁהַרְבֵּה מִן הַבִּלְתִּי נִרְאֶה גַּם הוּא כָּאן.
כָּאן הַלֶּקַח הֶעָמֹק
שֶׁל הַקַּבָּלָה, לֹא הַעֲדָפָה וְלֹא הַכְחָשָׁה,
הַשָּׁחֹר עִם רֹאשׁוֹ
הַצַּמְרִירִי, הָעֲבַרְיָן, הַחוֹלֶה, הָאַנְאַלְפַבֵּיתִי, אֵינָם מֻכְחָשִׁים;
הַלֵּדָה, הַדְּחִיפוּת
לָרוֹפֵא, הַנַּוָּד הַמְּקַבֵּץ, תְּנוּדַת הַשִּׁכּוֹר, חֲבוּרַת הַמְּכוֹנָאִים
הַצּוֹחֶקֶת,
הַצָּעִיר הַנִּמְלָט,
מֶרְכֶּבֶת הָאָדָם הֶעָשִׁיר, הַפּוֹשֵׁעַ, הַזּוּג הַבּוֹרֵחַ,
עוֹבֵד הַשּׁוּק
הַמַּקְדִּים, מֶרְכֶּבֶת הַמֵּת, סַבָּלוּת הָרָהִיטִים אֶל הָעִיר, הַחֲזָרָה
מִן הָעִיר,
הֵם עוֹבְרִים, גַּם
אֲנִי עוֹבֵר, הַכֹּל עוֹבֵר, דָּבָר אֵינוֹ נִתָּן לִכְבִילָה,
אַף לֹא אֶחָד
מִלְּבַדָּם יִתְקַבֵּל, אַף לֹא אֶחָד מִלְּבַד זֶה יָקָר לִי יִהְיֶה.
3
אַתָּה, אֲוִיר, אֲשֶׁר
מְשָׁרֵת אוֹתִי עִם נְשִׁימַת הַדִּבּוּר!
אַתֶּם הַדְּבָרִים
שֶׁבַּחֹמֶר הַמְּפֻזָּר הַקּוֹרְאִים אֶת כַּוָּנוֹתַי וּמַעֲנִיקִים לָהֶם
צוּרָה!
אַתָּה הָאוֹר הָעוֹטֵף
אוֹתִי וְאֶת כָּל הַדְּבָרִים בְּזִרְמֵי עֲדִינוּת וְשִׁוְיוֹן!
אַתֶּם הַמִּרְעוֹלִים
שְׁחוּקֵי הַשִּׁמּוּשׁ בַּפְּעָרִים הָאַקְרָאִיִּים שֶׁבְּצִדֵּי הַדְּרָכִים!
אֲנִי מַאֲמִין בָּכֶם
הַסְּמוּיִים עִם קִיּוּם בִּלְתִּי נִרְאֶה, כֹּה יְקָרִים אַתֶּם לִי.
אַתֶּן מִדְרָכוֹת
הֶעָרִים הַמְּסֻמָּנוֹת בִּדְגָלִים! אַתֶּן שְׂפוֹת הַמִּדְרָכוֹת הַחֲזָקוֹת
בַּקְּצָווֹת!
אַתֶּן מַעְבּוֹרוֹת!
אַתֶּם קַרְשֵׁי וְעַמּוּדֵי הַמְּזָחִים! אַתֶּם צִדֵּי הָעֵץ שֶׁל הָרְצִיפִים!
אַתֶּן אֳנִיּוֹת רְחוֹקוֹת!
אַתֶּן שׁוּרוֹת
הַבָּתִּים! אַתֶּם הַחַלּוֹנוֹת נוֹקְבֵי הַחֲזִיתוֹת! אַתֶּם הַגַּגּוֹת!
אַתֶּן הַמִּרְפָּסוֹת
וְהַכְּנִיסוֹת! אַתֶּם חִפּוּיֵי הַקִּירוֹת וּמְגִנֵּי הַמַּתֶּכֶת!
אַתֶּם הַחַלּוֹנוֹת
אֲשֶׁר קְלִפּוֹתֵיכֶם הַשְּׁקוּפוֹת יְכוֹלוֹת לַחֲשֹׂף כֹּה הַרְבֵּה!
אַתֶּם הַדְּלָתוֹת
וְגַרְמֵי הַמַּדְרֵגוֹת! אַתֶּן הַקְּשָׁתוֹת!
אַתֶּן אֲבָנִים
אֲפֹרוֹת שֶׁל מִדְרָכוֹת לֹא נִגְמָרוֹת! אַתֶּם הַמַּעֲבָרִים הַכְּבוּשִׁים!
אֶת כָּל מָה שֶׁנָּגַע
בָּכֶם אֲנִי מַאֲמִין כִּי צְפַנְתֶּם בְּתוֹכְכֶם, וְעַתָּה אוֹתוֹ סוֹד יֻטְמַע
בִּי,
מִן הַחַיִּים וּמִן
הַמֵּתִים אִכְלַסְתֶּם אֶת חָזוּתְכֶם הָאֲדִישָׁה, וְהָרוּחוֹת לָכֵן יִהְיוּ
נְהִירוֹת וִידִידוֹת לִי.
4
הָאָרֶץ נִפְרֶשֶׂת
יָמִינָה וּשְׂמֹאלָה
הַתְּמוּנָה חַיָּה,
כָּל פְּרָט בְּאוֹרוֹ מֵיטָבִי,
הַלַּחַן רוֹעֵף הֵיכָן
שֶׁרוֹצִים, וּפוֹסֵק הֵיכָן שֶׁלֹּא רוֹצִים,
הַקּוֹל מְלֵא
הַחֶדְוָה שֶׁל הַדֶּרֶךְ הַצִּבּוּרִית, הַתְּחוּשָׁה הַטְּרִיָּה הָעַלִּיזָה
שֶׁל הַדֶּרֶךְ.
הוֹ דֶּרֶךְ רָאשִׁית
בָּהּ אֲנִי נוֹסֵעַ, הָאוֹמֶרֶת אַתְּ לִי אַל תַּעַזְבֵנִי?
הָאוֹמֶרֶת אַתְּ אַל
תָּעֵז – אִם תַּעַזְבֵנִי אָבוּד הִנְּךָ?
הָאוֹמֶרֶת אַתְּ
מוּכָנָה אֲנִי מִכְּבָר, כְּבוּשָׁה הֵיטֵב וּמְזֹהָה, דְּבֹק אֵלַי?
הוֹ דֶּרֶךְ צִבּוּר,
אֲנִי מֵשִׁיב אֵינִי פּוֹחֵד לְעָזְבֵךְ, וַעֲדַיִן אוֹהֲבֵךְ,
אַתְּ מְבַטֵּאת אוֹתִי
טוֹב יוֹתֵר מֵאֲשֶׁר יָכוֹל אֲנִי לְבַטֵּא אֶת עַצְמִי,
אַתְּ תִּהְיִי
עֲבוּרִי יוֹתֵר מִשִּׁירִי.
אֲנִי חוֹשֵׁב כִּי
מַעֲשֵׂי גְּבוּרָה נֶהֱרוּ כֻּלָּם בָּאֲוִיר הַפָּתוּחַ, וְכָךְ גַּם כָּל
הַשִּׁירִים הַחָפְשִׁיִּים,
אֲנִי חוֹשֵׁב
שֶׁבְּעַצְמִי, כָּאן אוּכַל לַעֲצֹר וְלַעֲשׂוֹת נִסִּים,
אֲנִי חוֹשֵׁב כִּי מָה
שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיֶה שֶׁאֶפְגֹּשׁ בְּדֶרֶךְ אוֹהֵב, וּמִי שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיֶה
שֶׁיִּרְאֶה אוֹתִי יֹאהַב אוֹתִי,
אֲנִי חוֹשֵׁב שֶׁמִּי שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיֶה שֶׁאֶרְאֶה צָרִיךְ לִהְיוֹת מְאֻשָּׁר.
5
מִשָּׁעָה זוֹ אֲנִי
מְאַשֵּׁר לְעַצְמִי שִׁחְרוּר מִמִּגְבָּלוֹת וּגְבוּלוֹת מְדֻמְיָנִים,
הוֹלֵךְ לְאָן שֶׁאֲנִי
רוֹצֶה, אֲדוֹנִי אֲנִי, שָׁלֵם וּמֻחְלָט,
מַקְשִׁיב לַאֲחֵרִים,
שׁוֹקֵל הֵיטֵב אֶת דִּבְרֵיהֶם,
עוֹצֵר, מְחַפֵּשׂ,
מְקַבֵּל, מְהַרְהֵר,
בַּעֲדִינוּת, אַךְ עִם
רָצוֹן בִּלְתִּי מְעֻרְעָר, מְשַׁחְרֵר אֶת עַצְמִי מֵהַכְּפִיתָה הָאוֹחֶזֶת
בִּי.
אֲנִי שׁוֹאֵף
נְשִׁימוֹת עֲצוּמוֹת שֶׁל חָלָל,
הַמִּזְרָח
וְהַמַּעֲרָב שֶׁלִּי, וְהַצָּפוֹן וְהַדָּרוֹם שֶׁלִּי.
אֲנִי גָּדוֹל יוֹתֵר,
טוֹב יוֹתֵר מִשֶּׁחָשַׁבְתִּי,
לֹא יָדַעְתִּי כִּי
אוֹחֵז אֲנִי טוֹבָה כֹּה רַבָּה.
הַכֹּל נִרְאָה לִי
יָפֶה,
אֲנִי יָכוֹל לַחְזֹר
וְלוֹמַר לִגְבָרִים וּלְנָשִׁים, כֹּה טוֹב עָשִׂיתָ לִי, אוֹתוֹ הַדָּבָר
הָיִיתִי עוֹשֶׂה לְךָ,
וּבְהוֹלְכֵי אֶקַּח
אֶת עַצְמִי וְאוֹתְךָ,
אֶפְזֹר אֶת עַצְמִי
בֵּין גְּבָרִים וְנָשִׁים כְּשֶׁאֲנִי הוֹלֵךְ,
אָטִיל בֵּינֵיהֶם
שִׂמְחָה חֲדָשָׁה וְסַעַר,
מִי אֲשֶׁר יְכַחֵשׁ
בִּי לֹא יַטְרִיד אוֹתִי,
מִי אֲשֶׁר יְקַבֵּל אוֹתִי, הוּא אוֹ הִיא, יְבֹרַךְ וְאוֹתִי יְבָרֵךְ.
6
עַתָּה, אִם יוֹפִיעוּ
אֶלֶף גְּבָרִים מֻשְׁלָמִים, לֹא אֻפְתַּע
עַתָּה, אִם
תּוֹפַעְנָה אֶלֶף צוּרוֹת יֹפִי שֶׁל נָשִׁים, לֹא אֶשְׁתּוֹמֵם
עַתָּה אֶרְאֶה אֶת
סוֹד הַמַּעֲשֶׂה שֶׁל הָאֲנָשִׁים הַטּוֹבִים בְּיוֹתֵר,
לִגְדֹּל בָּאֲוִיר
הַפָּתוּחַ לֶאֱכֹל וְלִישֹׁן עִם הָאָרֶץ.
כָּאן יֵשׁ מָקוֹם
לַמַּעֲשֶׂה הָאִישִׁי הַגָּדוֹל,
(מַעֲשֶׂה כָּזֶה
תּוֹפֵס אֶת לְבָבוֹת כָּל גִּזְעֵי הָאָדָם,
שְׁפִיעַת כּוֹחוֹ וּרְצוֹנוֹ עוֹלִים עַל הַחֹק מַלְעִיגִים כָּל סַמְכוּת
וְכָל טִעוּן כְּנֶגְדּו.)
הִנֵּה מִבְחַן
הַחָכְמָה,
מִבְחָנָהּ הַסּוֹפִי
שֶׁל הַחָכְמָה אֵינוֹ בְּבָתֵּי הַסֵּפֶר,
חָכְמָה אֵינָהּ
יְכוֹלָה לִהְיוֹת מָעֳבֶרֶת מִזֶּה שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ אוֹתָהּ לָזֶה שֶׁאֵין לוֹ
אוֹתָהּ,
הַחָכְמָה שֶׁל
הַנְּשָׁמָה הִיא, אֵינָהּ נִתֶּנֶת לְהוֹכָחָה, הִיא הִיא הַהוֹכָחָה,
חָלָה עַל כָּל
הָרָמוֹת וְהַדְּבָרִים וְהָאֵיכוּיוֹת וְהַתְּכָנִים,
הִיא הַוַּדָּאוּת שֶׁל
הַמְּצִיאוּת וְאַלְמָוֶת הַדְּבָרִים, וּגְאוֹן הַדְּבָרִים;
מַשֶּׁהוּ שָׁם
בְּרַחַף רְאִיַּת הַדְּבָרִים הַמְּעוֹרֵר זֹאת מִתּוֹךְ הָרוּחַ.
עַתָּה מֵחָדָשׁ אֲנִי
בּוֹחֵן רַעֲיוֹנוֹת וֶאֱמוּנוֹת,
יִתָּכֵן שֶׁטּוֹבָה
הוֹכָחָתָם בְּחַדְרֵי הַרְצָאוֹת, אַךְ לַחֲלוּטִין לֹא מוּכַחַת תַּחַת
מֶרְחֲבֵי הָעֲנָנִים וּלְאֹרֶךְ
הַנּוֹף וְשֶׁטֶף
זְרָמִים.
הִנֵּה הַתּוֹבָנָה,
הִנֵּה נֶאֱמָד גֶּבֶר
– הוּא נֹכַח כָּאן מָה יֵשׁ בּוֹ,
הֶעָבָר, הֶעָתִיד,
הוֹד, אַהֲבָה – אִם הֵם נֶעֱדָרִים מִמְּךָ, הִנְּךָ רֵיק מֵהֶם.
רַק הַגַּרְעִין שֶׁל
כָּל דָּבָר מֵזִין;
הֵיכָן הוּא אֲשֶׁר
יִקְרַע אֶת הַקְּלִפּוֹת עֲבוּרְךָ וַעֲבוּרִי?
הֵיכָן הוּא
הַמְּבַטֵּל תִּכְנוּנִים וְכִסּוּיִים עֲבוּרְךָ וַעֲבוּרִי?
הִנֵּה הַדְּבֵקוּת,
אֵינָהּ מְעֻצֶּבֶת מֵרֹאשׁ, הִיא כָּךְ מֵעַצְמָהּ;
הֲתֵדַע מָה זֹאת
כְּשֶׁאַתָּה עוֹבֵר לִהְיוֹת נֶאֱהָב עַל יְדֵי זָרִים?
הֲתֵדַע אֶת הַשִּׂיחָה
שֶׁל מִפְנֶה הָעֵינַיִים?
Song
of the Open Road
By Walt Whitman
1
Afoot
and light-hearted I take to the open road,
Healthy,
free, the world before me,
The
long brown path before me leading wherever I choose.
Henceforth
I ask not good-fortune, I myself am good-fortune,
Henceforth
I whimper no more, postpone no more, need nothing,
Done
with indoor complaints, libraries, querulous criticisms,
Strong
and content I travel the open road.
The
earth, that is sufficient,
I do
not want the constellations any nearer,
I know
they are very well where they are,
I know
they suffice for those who belong to them.
(Still
here I carry my old delicious burdens,
I carry
them, men and women, I carry them with me wherever I go,
I swear
it is impossible for me to get rid of them,
I am
fill’d with them, and I will fill them in return.)
2
You
road I enter upon and look around, I believe you are not all that is here,
I
believe that much unseen is also here.
Here
the profound lesson of reception, nor preference nor denial,
The
black with his woolly head, the felon, the diseas’d, the illiterate person, are
not denied;
The
birth, the hasting after the physician, the beggar’s tramp, the drunkard’s
stagger, the laughing party of mechanics,
The
escaped youth, the rich person’s carriage, the fop, the eloping couple,
The
early market-man, the hearse, the moving of furniture into the town, the return
back from the town,
They
pass, I also pass, any thing passes, none can be interdicted,
None
but are accepted, none but shall be dear to me.
3
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.
4
The
earth expanding right hand and left hand,
The
picture alive, every part in its best light,
The
music falling in where it is wanted, and stopping where it is not wanted,
The
cheerful voice of the public road, the gay fresh sentiment of the road.
O
highway I travel, do you say to me Do not leave me?
Do you
say Venture not—if you leave me you are lost?
Do you
say I am already prepared, I am well-beaten and undenied, adhere to me?
O
public road, I say back I am not afraid to leave you, yet I love you,
You
express me better than I can express myself,
You
shall be more to me than my poem.
I think
heroic deeds were all conceiv’d in the open air, and all free poems also,
I think
I could stop here myself and do miracles,
I think
whatever I shall meet on the road I shall like, and whoever beholds me shall
like me,
I think
whoever I see must be happy.
5
From
this hour I ordain myself loos’d of limits and imaginary lines,
Going
where I list, my own master total and absolute,
Listening
to others, considering well what they say,
Pausing,
searching, receiving, contemplating,
Gently,but
with undeniable will, divesting myself of the holds that would hold me.
I
inhale great draughts of space,
The
east and the west are mine, and the north and the south are mine.
I am
larger, better than I thought,
I did
not know I held so much goodness.
All
seems beautiful to me,
I can
repeat over to men and women You have done such good to me I would do the same
to you,
I will
recruit for myself and you as I go,
I will
scatter myself among men and women as I go,
I will
toss a new gladness and roughness among them,
Whoever
denies me it shall not trouble me,
Whoever
accepts me he or she shall be blessed and shall bless me.
6
Now if
a thousand perfect men were to appear it would not amaze me,
Now if
a thousand beautiful forms of women appear’d it would not astonish me.
Now I
see the secret of the making of the best persons,
It is
to grow in the open air and to eat and sleep with the earth.
Here a
great personal deed has room,
(Such a
deed seizes upon the hearts of the whole race of men,
Its
effusion of strength and will overwhelms law and mocks all authority and all
argument against it.)
Here is
the test of wisdom,
Wisdom
is not finally tested in schools,
Wisdom
cannot be pass’d from one having it to another not having it,
Wisdom
is of the soul, is not susceptible of proof, is its own proof,
Applies
to all stages and objects and qualities and is content,
Is the
certainty of the reality and immortality of things, and the excellence of
things;
Something
there is in the float of the sight of things that provokes it out of the soul.
Now I
re-examine philosophies and religions,
They
may prove well in lecture-rooms, yet not prove at all under the spacious clouds
and along the landscape and flowing currents.
Here is
realization,
Here is
a man tallied—he realizes here what he has in him,
The
past, the future, majesty, love—if they are vacant of you, you are vacant of
them.
Only
the kernel of every object nourishes;
Where
is he who tears off the husks for you and me?
Where
is he that undoes stratagems and envelopes for you and me?
Here is
adhesiveness, it is not previously fashion’d, it is apropos;
Do you
know what it is as you pass to be loved by strangers?
Do you
know the talk of those turning eye-balls?
7
Here is
the efflux of the soul,
The
efflux of the soul comes from within through embower’d gates, ever provoking
questions,
These
yearnings why are they? these thoughts in the darkness why are they?
Why are
there men and women that while they are nigh me the sunlight expands my blood?
Why
when they leave me do my pennants of joy sink flat and lank?
Why are
there trees I never walk under but large and melodious thoughts descend upon
me?
(I
think they hang there winter and summer on those trees and always drop fruit as
I pass;)
What is
it I interchange so suddenly with strangers?
What
with some driver as I ride on the seat by his side?
What
with some fisherman drawing his seine by the shore as I walk by and pause?
What
gives me to be free to a woman’s and man’s good-will? what gives them to be
free to mine?
8
The
efflux of the soul is happiness, here is happiness,
I think
it pervades the open air, waiting at all times,
Now it
flows unto us, we are rightly charged.
Here
rises the fluid and attaching character,
The
fluid and attaching character is the freshness and sweetness of man and woman,
(The
herbs of the morning sprout no fresher and sweeter every day out of the roots
of themselves, than it sprouts fresh and sweet continually out of itself.)
Toward
the fluid and attaching character exudes the sweat of the love of young and
old,
From it
falls distill’d the charm that mocks beauty and attainments,
Toward
it heaves the shuddering longing ache of contact.
9
Allons!
whoever you are come travel with me!
Traveling
with me you find what never tires.
The
earth never tires,
The
earth is rude, silent, incomprehensible at first, Nature is rude and
incomprehensible at first,
Be not
discouraged, keep on, there are divine things well envelop’d,
I swear
to you there are divine things more beautiful than words can tell.
Allons!
we must not stop here,
However
sweet these laid-up stores, however convenient this dwelling we cannot remain
here,
However
shelter’d this port and however calm these waters we must not anchor here,
However
welcome the hospitality that surrounds us we are permitted to receive it but a
little while.
10
Allons!
the inducements shall be greater,
We will
sail pathless and wild seas,
We will
go where winds blow, waves dash, and the Yankee clipper speeds by under full
sail.
Allons!
with power, liberty, the earth, the elements,
Health,
defiance, gayety, self-esteem, curiosity;
Allons!
from all formules!
From
your formules, O bat-eyed and materialistic priests.
The
stale cadaver blocks up the passage—the burial waits no longer.
Allons!
yet take warning!
He
traveling with me needs the best blood, thews, endurance,
None
may come to the trial till he or she bring courage and health,
Come
not here if you have already spent the best of yourself,
Only
those may come who come in sweet and determin’d bodies,
No
diseas’d person, no rum-drinker or venereal taint is permitted here.
(I and
mine do not convince by arguments, similes, rhymes,
We
convince by our presence.)
11
Listen!
I will be honest with you,
I do
not offer the old smooth prizes, but offer rough new prizes,
These
are the days that must happen to you:
You
shall not heap up what is call’d riches,
You
shall scatter with lavish hand all that you earn or achieve,
You but
arrive at the city to which you were destin’d, you hardly settle yourself to
satisfaction before you are call’d by an irresistible call to depart,
You
shall be treated to the ironical smiles and mockings of those who remain behind
you,
What
beckonings of love you receive you shall only answer with passionate kisses of
parting,
You
shall not allow the hold of those who spread their reach’d hands toward you.
12
Allons!
after the great Companions, and to belong to them!
They
too are on the road—they are the swift and majestic men—they are the greatest
women,
Enjoyers
of calms of seas and storms of seas,
Sailors
of many a ship, walkers of many a mile of land,
Habituès
of many distant countries, habituès of far-distant dwellings,
Trusters
of men and women, observers of cities, solitary toilers,
Pausers
and contemplators of tufts, blossoms, shells of the shore,
Dancers
at wedding-dances, kissers of brides, tender helpers of children, bearers of
children,
Soldiers
of revolts, standers by gaping graves, lowerers-down of coffins,
Journeyers
over consecutive seasons, over the years, the curious years each emerging from
that which preceded it,
Journeyers
as with companions, namely their own diverse phases,
Forth-steppers
from the latent unrealized baby-days,
Journeyers
gayly with their own youth, journeyers with their bearded and well-grain’d
manhood,
Journeyers
with their womanhood, ample, unsurpass’d, content,
Journeyers
with their own sublime old age of manhood or womanhood,
Old
age, calm, expanded, broad with the haughty breadth of the universe,
Old
age, flowing free with the delicious near-by freedom of death.
13
Allons!
to that which is endless as it was beginningless,
To
undergo much, tramps of days, rests of nights,
To
merge all in the travel they tend to, and the days and nights they tend to,
Again
to merge them in the start of superior journeys,
To see
nothing anywhere but what you may reach it and pass it,
To
conceive no time, however distant, but what you may reach it and pass it,
To look
up or down no road but it stretches and waits for you, however long but it
stretches and waits for you,
To see
no being, not God’s or any, but you also go thither,
To see
no possession but you may possess it, enjoying all without labor or purchase,
abstracting the feast yet not abstracting one particle of it,
To take
the best of the farmer’s farm and the rich man’s elegant villa, and the chaste
blessings of the well-married couple, and the fruits of orchards and flowers of
gardens,
To take
to your use out of the compact cities as you pass through,
To
carry buildings and streets with you afterward wherever you go,
To
gather the minds of men out of their brains as you encounter them, to gather
the love out of their hearts,
To take
your lovers on the road with you, for all that you leave them behind you,
To know
the universe itself as a road, as many roads, as roads for traveling souls.
All
parts away for the progress of souls,
All
religion, all solid things, arts, governments—all that was or is apparent upon
this globe or any globe, falls into niches and corners before the procession of
souls along the grand roads of the universe.
Of the
progress of the souls of men and women along the grand roads of the universe,
all other progress is the needed emblem and sustenance.
Forever
alive, forever forward,
Stately,
solemn, sad, withdrawn, baffled, mad, turbulent, feeble, dissatisfied,
Desperate,
proud, fond, sick, accepted by men, rejected by men,
They
go! they go! I know that they go, but I know not where they go,
But I
know that they go toward the best—toward something great.
Whoever
you are, come forth! or man or woman come forth!
You
must not stay sleeping and dallying there in the house, though you built it, or
though it has been built for you.
Out of
the dark confinement! out from behind the screen!
It is
useless to protest, I know all and expose it.
Behold
through you as bad as the rest,
Through
the laughter, dancing, dining, supping, of people,
Inside
of dresses and ornaments, inside of those wash’d and trimm’d faces,
Behold
a secret silent loathing and despair.
No
husband, no wife, no friend, trusted to hear the confession,
Another
self, a duplicate of every one, skulking and hiding it goes,
Formless
and wordless through the streets of the cities, polite and bland in the
parlors,
In the
cars of railroads, in steamboats, in the public assembly,
Home to
the houses of men and women, at the table, in the bedroom, everywhere,
Smartly
attired, countenance smiling, form upright, death under the breast-bones, hell
under the skull-bones,
Under
the broadcloth and gloves, under the ribbons and artificial flowers,
Keeping
fair with the customs, speaking not a syllable of itself,
Speaking
of any thing else but never of itself.
14
Allons!
through struggles and wars!
The
goal that was named cannot be countermanded.
Have
the past struggles succeeded?
What
has succeeded? yourself? your nation? Nature?
Now
understand me well—it is provided in the essence of things that from any
fruition of success, no matter what, shall come forth something to make a
greater struggle necessary.
My call
is the call of battle, I nourish active rebellion,
He
going with me must go well arm’d,
He
going with me goes often with spare diet, poverty, angry enemies, desertions.
15
Allons!
the road is before us!
It is
safe—I have tried it—my own feet have tried it well—be not detain’d!
Let the
paper remain on the desk unwritten, and the book on the shelf unopen’d!
Let the
tools remain in the workshop! let the money remain unearn’d!
Let the
school stand! mind not the cry of the teacher!
Let the
preacher preach in his pulpit! let the lawyer plead in the court, and the judge
expound the law.
Camerado,
I give you my hand!
I give
you my love more precious than money,
I give
you myself before preaching or law;
Will
you give me yourself? will you come travel with me?
Shall
we stick by each other as long as we live?
את איש לעצמו אני שר, איש פשוט נבדל,
ועדיין הוגה המילה הדמוקרטית, מילת הציבור הנקהל.
על תפקוד הגוף החי מקצה הראש ועד לבוהן אני שר
לא על שיפוט על פי פנים לבדם, לא המוח לבדו הולם את
ההשראה,
ואני אומר הצורה השלמה שווה הרבה יותר,
שוויון הנקבה והזכר להם אני שר.
על עצמת החיים האדירה בתשוקה, בדופק, בכוח,
בצהלתם, על הפעולה המעוצבת במלוא כוחה תחת החוקים האלוהיים,
את האדם של העכשיו אני שר.
