Leaves of Grass (1860)

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¹ O FURIOUS! O confine me not!

(What is this that frees me so in storms?

What do my shouts amid lightnings and raging winds
mean?)

² O to drink the mystic deliria deeper than any other
man!

O savage and tender achings!

(I bequeath them to you, my children,

I tell them to you, for reasons, O bridegroom and
bride.)

³ O to be yielded to you, whoever you are, and you to
be yielded me, in defiance of the world!

(Know, I am a man, attracting, at any time, her I but
look upon, or touch with the tips of my fingers,

Or that touches my face, or leans against me.)

⁴ O to return to Paradise!

O to draw you to me—to plant on you, for the first
time, the lips of a determined man!

O rich and feminine! O to show you to realize the
blood of life for yourself, whoever you are—and
no matter when and where you live.

⁵ O the puzzle—the thrice-tied knot—the deep and
dark pool! O all untied and illumined!

O to speed where there is space enough and air
enough at last!

O to be absolved from previous follies and degrada-
tions—I from mine, and you from yours!

O to find a new unthought-of nonchalance with the
best of nature!

O to have the gag removed from one's mouth!

O to have the feeling, to-day or any day, I am suffi-
cient as I am!

⁶ O something unproved! something in a trance!

O madness amorous! O trembling!

O to escape utterly from others' anchors and holds!

To drive free! to love free! to dash reckless and
dangerous!

To court destruction with taunts—with invitations!

To ascend—to leap to the heavens of the love
indicated to me!

To rise thither with my inebriate Soul!

To be lost, if it must be so!

To feed the remainder of life with one hour of ful-
ness and freedom!

With one brief hour of madness and joy.

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