Starting from Paumanok.
As I have walk´d in Alabama my morning walk,
I have seen where the she-bird the mocking-bird (spottedrossel) sat on her
nest in the briers (tornbusken) hatching her brood (I færd med at ruge sine unger ud).
I have seen the he-bird also,
I have paus`d to hear him near at hand inflating (oppuste) his throat (strube) and
joyfully singing.
And while I paus`d it came to me that what he really sang
for was not there only,
Nor for his mate nor himself only, nor all sent back by the
echoes,
But subtle (hårfin), clandestine (smug), away beyond (hinsides),
A charge transmitted and gift occult (skjult gave) for those being born.
Democrazy! Near at hand to you a throat is now inflating
itself and joyfully singing.
Ma femme! for the brood (ungerne) beyond us and of us,
For those who belong here and those to come,
I exultant to be ready for them will now shake out carols
stronger and laughtier than have ever yet been heard
upon earth.
I will make the songs of passion to give them their way,
And your songs outlaw´d offenders, for I scan you with
kindred eyes (slægtskabets øjne), and carry you with me the same as any.
I will make the true poem of riches,
To earn for the body and the mind whatever adheres and
goes forward and is not dropt by death;
I will effuse egotism and show it underlying all, and I will
be the bard of personality. (Bard = skjald)
And I will show of male and female that either is but the
equal of the other,
And sexual organs and acts! Do you concentrate in me, for I
am determin´d to tell you with courageous (modig) clear voice
to prove you illustrious, (udmærkethed, berømthed osv.)
And I will show that there is no imperfection (ufuldkommenhed) in the present,
And can be none in the future,
And I will show that whatever happens to anybody it may
be turned to beautiful results,
And I will show that nothing can happen more beautiful
than death,
And I will thread a thread through my poems that time and
events are compact, (kortfattede)
And I will all the things of the universe are perfect miracles,
each as profound (grundigt) as any.
I will not make poems with reference to parts,
But I will make poems, songs, thoughts, with reference to
emsemble, (helheden)
And I will not sing with reference to a day, but with
reference to all days,
And I will not make a poem nor the least part of a poem
but has reference to the soul,
Because having look`d at the objects of the universe, I find
there is no one nor any particle of one but has reference
to the soul.
Was somebody asking to see the soul?
See, your own shape and countenance (udtryk), persons, substances,
beasts, the trees, the running rivers, the rocks and sand.
Walt Whitman, USA (1819-1892).
Has inspired many poets, writers, musicians and spiritual teachers with his celebrating and powerful writings. Through his poems he often translates what he understands from nature as messages – he becomes the bard (= regn-skjalden) of the rain, the birds, the running rivers, the rocks and sands. He praises eternal (evig) life and the presence of God in all things.
Although his writing consists of thousands of pages his main message is simple and direct as in the following lines that passes on in the famous “Leaves of grass”.
“This is what you shall do: Love the earth and sun and the animals, despise (foragte) riches, give alms to every one that asks, stand up for the stupid and crazy, devote (ofre) your income and labor to others, hate tyrants, argue not concerning God, have patience and indulgence (overbærenhed) toward the people, take off your hat to nothing known or unknown or to any number of men, go freely with powerful uneducated persons and with the young and with the mothers of families, read these leaves in the open air every season of every year of your life, re-examine all you have been told at school or church or in any book, dismiss (afvis) whatever insults (fornærmer/krænker) your own soul, and your very flesh shall be a great poem and have the richest fluency not only in the words but in the silent lines of its lips and face and between the lashes of your eyes (øjenvipper) and in every motion and point of your body”.
Walt Whtiman
Song of Myself
…Have you practis´d so long to learn to read?
Have you felt so proud to get at the meaning of poems?
Stop this day and night with me and you shall possess (beherske) the origin of all poems.
You shall possess the good of the earth and sun, (there are millions of suns left,)
You shall no longer take things at second or third hand, nor look through the eyes of the dead, nor feed on the spectres (spøgelserne) in books.
You shall listen to all sides and filter them from your self…..I CELEBATE myself and sing myself.
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