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5.

1   STATES!

Were you looking to be held together by the lawyers?

By an agreement on a paper? Or by arms?

2   Away!

I arrive, bringing these, beyond all the forces of          courts and arms,

These! to hold you together as firmly as the earth          itself is held together.

3   The old breath of life, ever new,

Here! I pass it by contact to you, America.

4   O mother! have you done much for me?

Behold, there shall from me be much done for you.

5   There shall from me be a new friendship—It shall          be called after my name,

It shall circulate through The States, indifferent of          place,

It shall twist and intertwist them through and around          each other—Compact shall they be, showing          new signs,

Affection shall solve every one of the problems of          freedom,

Those who love each other shall be invincible,

They shall finally make America completely victo-          rious, in my name.

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6   One from Massachusetts shall be comrade to a Mis-          sourian,

One from Maine or Vermont, and a Carolinian and          an Oregonese, shall be friends triune, more pre-          cious to each other than all the riches of the          earth.

7   To Michigan shall be wafted perfume from Florida,

To the Mannahatta from Cuba or Mexico,

Not the perfume of flowers, but sweeter, and wafted          beyond death.

8   No danger shall balk Columbia's lovers,

If need be, a thousand shall sternly immolate them-          selves for one,

The Kanuck shall be willing to lay down his life for          the Kansian, and the Kansian for the Kanuck,          on due need.

9   It shall be customary in all directions, in the houses          and streets, to see manly affection,

The departing brother or friend shall salute the re-          maining brother or friend with a kiss.

10   There shall be innovations,

There shall be countless linked hands—namely, the          Northeasterner's, and the Northwesterner's, and          the Southwesterner's, and those of the interior,          and all their brood,

These shall be masters of the world under a new          power,

They shall laugh to scorn the attacks of all the re-          mainder of the world.

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11   The most dauntless and rude shall touch face to face          lightly,

The dependence of Liberty shall be lovers,

The continuance of Equality shall be comrades.

12   These shall tie and band stronger than hoops of iron,

I, extatic, O partners! O lands! henceforth with the          love of lovers tie you.

13   I will make the continent indissoluble,

I will make the most splendid race the sun ever yet          shone upon,

I will make divine magnetic lands.

14   I will plant companionship thick as trees along all the          rivers of America, and along the shores of the          great lakes, and all over the prairies,

I will make inseparable cities, with their arms about          each other's necks.

15   For you these, from me, O Democracy, to serve you,          ma femme!

For you! for you, I am trilling these songs.

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