As I ponder'd in silence --
In cabin'd ships at sea --
On journeys through the States --
To a certain Cantatrice --
I hear America singing --
What place is besieged? --
Wtill though the one I sing --
Starting from Paumanok --
To the garden the world --
From pent-up aching rivers --
I sing the body electric --
One hour to madness and joy --
Out of the rolling ocean the crowd --
Ages and ages returning at intervals --
We two, how long we were fool'd --
I am he that aches with love --
Once I pass'd through a populous city --
I heard you solemn-sweet pipes of the organ --
Facing west from California's shores --
As Adam early in the morning --
Scented herbage of my breast --
Whoever you are holding me now in hand --
These I singing in spring --
Not heaving from my ribb'd breast only --
Of the terrible doubt of appearances --
The base of all metaphysics --
When I heard at the close of the day --
Are you the new person drawn toward me? --
Roots and leaves themselves alone --
not heat flames up and consumes --
Behold this swarthy face --
I saw in Louisiana a live-oak growing --
This moment yearning and thoughtful --
I hear it was charged against me --
The prairie-grass dividing --
When I peruse the conquer'd fame --
We tow boys together clinging --
A promise to California --
Here the frailest leaves of me --
No labor-saving machine --
A leaf for hand in hand --
What think you I take my pen in hand? --
To the east and to the west --
Sometimes with one I love --
Fast-anchor'd eternal O love --
O you whom I often and silently come --
That shadow my likeness --
Crossing Brooklyn ferry --
Song of the exposition --
Song of the redwood-tree --
A song for occupations --
A song of the rolling earth --
Youth, day, old age, and night --
To you -- France. The 18th year of these states --
Year of meteors (1859-1860) --
Out of the cradle endlessly rocking --
As I ebb'd with the ocean of life --
To the man-of-war-bird --
Aboard at a ship's helm --
The world below the brine --
On a beach at night alone --
Song for all seas, all ships --
Europe. The 72nd and 73d years of These States --
When I heard the learn'd astronomer --
The dalliance of the Eagles --
Hast never come to thee an hour --
To the States. To identify the 16th, 17th, or 18th Presidentiad --
First O songs for a prelude --
From Paumanok starting I fly like a bird --
Song of the banner at daybreak --
Rise O days from your fathomless deeps --
The centenarian's story --
Cavalry crossing a ford --
Bivouac on a mountain side --
An army corps on the march --
By the Bivouac's fitful flame --
Come up from the fields father --
Vigil strange I kept on the field one night --
A march in the ranks hard-prest --
A sight in camp in the daybreak gray and dim --
As toilsome I wander'd Virginia's woods --
Year that trembled and reel'd beneath me --
Long, too long America --
Give me the splendid silent sun --
Dirge for two veterans --
Over the carnage rose prophetic a voice --
I say Old General at bay --
The artilleryman's vision --
Ethiopia saluting the colors --
Not youth pertains to me --
World take good notice --
O tan-faced prairie-boy --
Look down fair moon -- Reconciliation --
How solemn as one by one --
As I lay with my head in your lap Camerado --
Lo, Victres on the peaks --
Spirit whose work is done --
To the leaven'd soil they trod --
When lilacs last in the dooryard bloom'd --
O Captain! My Captain! --
This dust was once the man --
by blue Ontario's shore --
The return of the heroes --
There was a child went forth --
To a foil'd European revolutionaire --
The singer in the prison --
Out from behind this mask --
To him that was crucified --
You felons on trial in courts --
To a common prostitute --
I was looking a long while --
Sparkles from the wheel --
Unfolded out of the folds --
Others may praise what they like --
Who learns my lesson complete --
An old man's thought of school --
Italian music in Dakota --
Proud music of the storm --
Darest thou now O soul --
Whispers of heavenly death --
Chanting the square deific --
Of Him I love day and night --
Yet, yet, ye downcast hours --
As if a phantom caress'd me --
That music always round me --
What ship puzzled at sea --
A noiseless patient spider --
O living always, always dying --
As I watch'd the ploughman ploughing --
Thou mother with thy equal brood --
Thou orb aloft full-dazzling --
To a locomotive in winter --
Ah poverties wincings, and sulky retreats --
Weave in, my hardy life --
by broad Potomac's shore --
From far Dakota's canons --
Thick-sprinkled bunting --
What best I see in thee --
Spirit that form'd this scene --
As I walk these broad majestic days --
As the time draws nigh --
As at thy portals also death --
Pensive on her dead gazing --
The sobbing of the bells --
As they draw to a close --
Now finale to the shore --
To those who've fail'd --
A carol closing sixty-nine --
Queries to my seventieth year --
After the dazzle of day --
Abraham Lincoln, born Feb. 12, 1809 --
Out of May's shows selected --
Election day, November 1884 --
With husky-haughty lips, o sea --
Death of General Grant --
Washington's monument, February 1885 --
Of that blithe throat of thine --
To get the final lilt of songs --
Small the theme of my chant --
The United States to old world critics --
The calming thought of all --
Soon shall the winter's foil be here --
While not the past forgetting --
Orange buds by mail from Florida --
You lingering sparse leaves of me --
Not meagre, latent boughs alone --
As the greek's signal flame --
Now precedent songs, farewell --
Old age's lambert peaks --
After the supper and talk --
Sail out for good, Eidolon Yacht --
On, on the same, ye jocund Twain --
Old age's ship and crafty death's --
Shakspere-Bacon's cipher --
Bravo, Paris exposition --
When the full-grown poet came --
"The rounded catalogue divine complete" --
To soar in freedom and in fullness of power --
One thought ever at the fore --
While behind all firm and erect --
Nay, tell me not to-day the publish'd shame --
Of many a smutch'd deed reminiscent --
Poem of remembrance for a girl or a boy of these States --
So far and so far, and on toward the end --
In the new garden, in all the parts --
Long I thought that knowledge --
Hours continuing long, sore and heavy-hearted --
Who is now reading this? --
Of the visages of things --
Solid, Ironical, rolling orb --
Bathed in war's perfume --
Not my enemies ever invade me --
One song, America, before I go --
The beauty of the ship --
Or from that sea of time --
