To get betimes in Boston town I rose this morning early,         Here's a good place at the corner, I must stand and see the show.         Clear the way there Jonathan!         Way for the President's marshal—way for the government cannon!         Way for the Federal foot and dragoons, (and the apparitions                 copiously...Learn More

        My city's fit and noble name resumed,         Choice aboriginal name, with marvellous beauty, meaning,         A rocky founded island—shores where ever gayly dash the coming,                 going, hurrying sea waves....Learn More

         Come my tan-faced children, Follow well in order, get your weapons ready, Have you your pistols? have you your sharp-edged axes?          Pioneers! O pioneers!          For we cannot tarry here, We must march my darlings, we must bear the brunt of danger, We the youthful sinewy races, all the rest on us depend,          Pioneers! O...Learn More

Look down fair moon and bathe this scene, Pour softly down night's nimbus floods on faces ghastly, swollen, purple, On the dead on their backs with arms toss'd wide, Pour down your unstinted nimbus sacred moon....Learn More

An ancient song, reciting, ending, Once gazing toward thee, Mother of All, Musing, seeking themes fitted for thee, Accept me, thou saidst, the elder ballads, And name for me before thou goest each ancient poet. (Of many debts incalculable, Haply our New World's chieftest debt is to old poems.) Ever so far back, preluding thee, America, Old...Learn More

Delicate cluster! flag of teeming life! Covering all my lands—all my seashores lining! Flag of death! (how I watch'd you through the smoke of battle pressing! How I heard you flap and rustle, cloth defiant!) Flag cerulean—sunny flag, with the orbs of night dappled! Ah my silvery beauty—ah my woolly white and crimson! Ah to sing the song of you, my...Learn More

The commonplace I sing; How cheap is health! how cheap nobility! Abstinence, no falsehood, no gluttony, lust; The open air I sing, freedom, toleration, (Take here the mainest lesson—less from books—less from the schools,) The common day and night—the common earth and waters, Your farm—your work, trade, occupation, The democratic wisdom underneath,...Learn More

A MARCH in the ranks hard-prest, and the road unknown; A route through a heavy wood, with muffled steps in the darkness; Our army foil'd with loss severe, and the sullen remnant retreating; Till after midnight glimmer upon us, the lights of a dim-lighted building; We come to an open space in the woods, and halt by the dim-lighted building; 'Tis a...Learn More

        To get betimes in Boston town I rose this morning early,         Here's a good place at the corner, I must stand and see the show.         Clear the way there Jonathan!         Way for the President's marshal—way for the government cannon!         Way for the Federal foot and dragoons, (and the apparitions                 copiously...Learn More

        Darest thou now O soul,         Walk out with me toward the unknown region,         Where neither ground is for the feet nor any path to follow?         No map there, nor guide,         Nor voice sounding, nor touch of human hand,         Nor face with blooming flesh, nor lips, nor eyes, are in that land.         I know it not O...Learn More

ARM’D year! year of the struggle! No dainty rhymes or sentimental love verses for you, terrible year! Not you as some pale poetling, seated at a desk, lisping cadenzas piano; But as a strong man, erect, clothed in blue clothes, advancing, carrying a rifle on your shoulder, With well-gristled body and sunburnt face and hands–with a knife in the belt...Learn More

        To the garden the world anew ascending,         Potent mates, daughters, sons, preluding,         The love, the life of their bodies, meaning and being,         Curious here behold my resurrection after slumber,         The revolving cycles in their wide sweep having brought me again,         Amorous, mature, all beautiful to me, all...Learn More