Published Works
In Whitman's Hand
Life & Letters
Commentary
Resources
Pictures & Sound
About the Archive
Published Works
Books
contents
|
previous
|
next
View Page 9
View Page 10
contents
|
previous
|
next
View Page 9
AS I PONDER'D IN SILENCE.
| As I ponder'd in silence, |
| Returning upon my poems, considering, lingering long, |
| A Phantom arose before me with distrustful aspect, |
| Terrible in beauty, age, and power, |
| The genius of poets of old lands, |
| As to me directing like flame its eyes, |
| With finger pointing to many immortal songs, |
| And menacing voice, What singest thou? it said, |
| Know'st thou not there is but one theme for ever-enduring bards? |
| And that is the theme of War, the fortune of battles, |
| The making of perfect soldiers. |
| Be it so, then I answer'd, |
|
I too haughty Shade also sing war, and a longer and greater one
than any, |
|
Waged in my book with varying fortune, with flight, advance and
retreat, victory deferr'd and wavering, |
View Page 10
|
(Yet methinks certain, or as good as certain, at the last,) the field
the world, |
| For life and death, for the Body and for the eternal Soul, |
| Lo, I too am come, chanting the chant of battles, |
| I above all promote brave soldiers. |