Page:Leaves of Grass (1860).djvu/58

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Leaves of Grass.

111.I am the poet of the woman the same as the man,
And I say it is as great to be a woman as to be a
man,
And I say there is nothing greater than the mother
of men.

112.I chant the chant of dilation or pride,
We have had ducking and deprecating about enough,
I show that size is only development.

113.Have you outstript the rest? Are you the President?
It is a trifle—they will more than arrive there every
one, and still pass on.
 
114.I am He that walks with the tender and growing
Night,
I call to the earth and sea, half-held by the Night.

115.Press close, bare-bosomed Night! Press close,
magnetic, nourishing Night!
Night of south winds! Night of the large few stars!
Still, nodding night! Mad, naked, summer night.

116.Smile, O voluptuous, cool-breathed Earth!
Earth of the slumbering and liquid trees!
Earth of departed sunset! Earth of the mountains,
misty-topt!
Earth of the vitreous pour of the full moon, just
tinged with blue!
Earth of shine and dark, mottling the tide of the
river!
Earth of the limpid gray of clouds, brighter and
clearer for my sake!