The Winding Stair
My Soul. I summon to the winding ancient stair;
Set all your mind upon the steep ascent,
Upon the broken, crumbling battlement,
Upon the breathless starlit air,
'Upon the star that marks the hidden pole;
Fix every wandering thought upon
That quarter where all thought is done:
Who can distinguish darkness from the soul
My Self. The consecretes blade upon my knees
Is Sato's ancient blade, still as it was,
Still razor-keen, still like a looking-glass
Unspotted by the centuries;
That flowering, silken, old embroidery, torn
From some court-lady's dress and round
The wodden scabbard bound and wound
Can, tattered, still protect, faded adorn
My Soul. Why should the imagination of a man
Long past his prime remember things that are
Emblematical of love and war?
Think of ancestral night that can,
If but imagination scorn the earth
And intellect is wandering
To this and that and t'other thing,
Deliver from the crime of death and birth.
My Self. Montashigi, third of his family, fashioned it
Five hundred years ago, about it lie
Flowers from I know not what embroidery -
Heart's purple - and all these I set
For emblems of the day against the tower
Emblematical of the night,
And claim as by a soldier's right
A charter to commit the crime once more.
My Soul. Such fullness in that quarter overflows
And falls into the basin of the mind
That man is stricken deaf and dumb and blind,
For intellect no longer knows
Is from the Ought, or knower from the Known -
That is to say, ascends to Heaven;
Only the dead can be forgiven;
But when I think of that my tongue's a stone.
II
My Self. A living man is blind and drinks his drop.
What matter if the ditches are impure?
What matter if I live it all once more?
Endure that toil of growing up;
The ignominy of boyhood; the distress
Of boyhood changing into man;
The unfinished man and his pain
Brought face to face with his own clumsiness;
The finished man among his enemies? -
How in the name of Heaven can he escape
That defiling and disfigured shape
The mirror of malicious eyes
Casts upon his eyes until at last
He thinks that shape must be his shape?
And what's the good of an escape
If honour find him in the wintry blast?
I am content to live it all again
And yet again, if it be life to pitch
Into the frog-spawn of a blind man's ditch,
A blind man battering blind men;
Or into that most fecund ditch of all,
The folly that man does
Or must suffer, if he woos
A proud woman not kindred of his soul.
I am content to follow to its source
Every event in action or in thought;
Measure the lot; forgive myself the lot!
When such as I cast out remorse
So great a sweetness flows into the breast
We must laugh and we must sing,
We are blest by everything,
Everything we look upon is blest.
poem by William Butler Yeats
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Related quotes
A Dialogue Of Self And Soul
i{My Soul} I summon to the winding ancient stair;
Set all your mind upon the steep ascent,
Upon the broken, crumbling battlement,
Upon the breathless starlit air,
'Upon the star that marks the hidden pole;
Fix every wandering thought upon
That quarter where all thought is done:
Who can distinguish darkness from the soul
i{My Self}. The consecretes blade upon my knees
Is Sato's ancient blade, still as it was,
Still razor-keen, still like a looking-glass
Unspotted by the centuries;
That flowering, silken, old embroidery, torn
From some court-lady's dress and round
The wodden scabbard bound and wound
Can, tattered, still protect, faded adorn
i{My Soul.} Why should the imagination of a man
Long past his prime remember things that are
Emblematical of love and war?
Think of ancestral night that can,
If but imagination scorn the earth
And interllect is wandering
To this and that and t'other thing,
Deliver from the crime of death and birth.
i{My self.} Montashigi, third of his family, fashioned it
Five hundred years ago, about it lie
Flowers from I know not what embroidery --
Heart's purple -- and all these I set
For emblems of the day against the tower
Emblematical of the night,
And claim as by a soldier's right
A charter to commit the crime once more.
i{My Soul.} Such fullness in that quarter overflows
And falls into the basin of the mind
That man is stricken deaf and dumb and blind,
For intellect no longer knows
i{Is} from the i{Ought,} or i{knower} from the i{Known -- }
That is to say, ascends to Heaven;
Only the dead can be forgiven;
But when I think of that my tongue's a stone.
i{My Self.} A living man is blind and drinks his drop.
What matter if the ditches are impure?
What matter if I live it all once more?
Endure that toil of growing up;
The ignominy of boyhood; the distress
Of boyhood changing into man;
The unfinished man and his pain
Brought face to face with his own clumsiness;
The finished man among his enemies? --
How in the name of Heaven can he escape
That defiling and disfigured shape
The mirror of malicious eyes
Casts upon his eyes until at last
He thinks that shape must be his shape?
And what's the good of an escape
If honour find him in the wintry blast?
I am content to live it all again
And yet again, if it be life to pitch
Into the frog-spawn of a blind man's ditch,
A blind man battering blind men;
Or into that most fecund ditch of all,
The folly that man does
Or must suffer, if he woos
A proud woman not kindred of his soul.
I am content to follow to its source
Every event in action or in thought;
Measure the lot; forgive myself the lot!
When such as I cast out remorse
So great a sweetness flows into the breast
We must laugh and we must sing,
We are blest by everything,
Everything we look upon is blest.
poem by William Butler Yeats
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Blind Love
Words and music by tom waits
Now youre gone
And its hotels and whiskey and sad luck days
And I dont care if they miss me
I never remember their names
They say if you get far enough away
Youll be on your way back home
Well Im at the station
And I cant get on the train
Must be blind love
The only kind of love is stone blind love
The only kind of love is stone blind love
The only kind of love is stone blind love
Oh blind love
Blind love
Stone blind love
Stone blind love
Well the streets turning blue
The dogs are barking and the night has come
And its tears that are falling
From these brown eyes now
And I wonder where you are
And I whisper your name
(I whisper your name)
And the only way to find you
Is if I close my eyes
And find you with my blind love
The only kind of love is stone blind love
The only kind of love is stone blind love
The only kind of love is stone blind love
Oh blind love
Blind love
Stone blind love
Stone blind love
Oh its blind love
The only kind of love is stone blind love
The only kind of love is stone blind love
The only kind of love is stone blind love
Oh blind love
Blind love
Stone blind love
song performed by by Bob Seger
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Opiate (live)
Choices always were a problem for you.
What you need is someone strong to guide you.
Deaf and blind and dumb and born to follow,
what you need is someone strong to use you..
like me,
like me.
If you want to get your soul to heaven,
trust in me.
Don't judge or question.
You are broken now ,
but faith can heal you.
Just do everything I tell you to do.
Deaf and blind and dumb and born to follow.
Let me lay my holy hand upon you.
My Gods will
becomes me.
When he speaks out,
he speaks through me.
He has needs
like I do.
We both want
to rape you.
Jesus Christ, why don't you come save my life.
Open my eyes and blind me with your light
and your lies.
song performed by by Limp Bizkit
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Crime Of Passion
See the blind man
At the dead of night
He can see, so he wont fight
Running scared like a swan in flight
On and on, looking for delight
But its you, hell hear you running
As this blind man tells the blind
See the children in the jungle zone
Black man woken
Till your work is done
He cant hide
Theres nowhere to run
Waiting for salvation to come
And its you, coming from far
Got a lonely mind to sell
Crime of passion, crime of pain
How long before I see you again
Ive been free and Ive been high
Got a soul, never ask my why
song performed by by Uriah Heep
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Sonnet: Eternal Light
As long as there was some light, I could see;
And when the lights went out, I became blind,
Like a mole; the window-pane did I find!
The light came through, I regained acuity.
The blind can’t see even in broad daylight,
But they discern what men with eyes cannot!
The latter struggle more than what blind ought!
Men cannot see at night without moonlight.
In light or darkness, who helps man to see?
’Tis Maker-God, the true light of the world;
Man’s inward eye can see his destiny;
A soul in sin, to divine light is cold.
God is Light in light and in darkness;
No man is blind, his soul in God’s harness!
poem by John Celes
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Running Blind
Cant find the answers
Ive been crawling on my knees
Looking for anything
To keep me from drowning
Promises have been turned to lies
Can't even be honest inside
Now Im running backward
Watching my life wave me goodbye
Running blind
Im running blind
Somebody help me see Im running blind
Searching for nothing
Wondering if I'll change
Im trying everything
But everything still stays the same
I thought if I showed you I could fly
Wouldn't need anyone by my side
Now I'm running backward
With broken wings I know Ill die
Running blind
Im running blind
Somebody help me see Im running blind
Running blind
Running blind
Running blind
I can't find the answers
I've been crawling on my knees
Looking for anything
To keep me from drowning
I'm running blind
Running blind
Running blind
Running blind
Running blind
Running blind
Running blind
Running blind
Running blind
song performed by by Godsmack
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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The Sorrows of the Blind
Pity the sorrows of the poor blind,
For they can but little comfort find;
As they walk along the street,
They know not where to put their feet.
They are deprived of that earthly joy
Of seeing either man, woman, or boy;
Sad and lonely through the world they go,
Not knowing a friend from a foe:
Nor the difference betwixt day and night,
For the want of their eyesight;
The blind mother cannot see her darling boy,
That was once her soul's joy.
By day and night,
Since she lost her precious sight;
To her the world seems dark and drear,
And she can find no comfort here.
She once found pleasure in reading books,
But now pale and careworn are her looks.
Since she has lost her eyesight,
Everything seems wrong and nothing right.
The face of nature, with all its beauties and livery green,
Appears to the blind just like a dream.
All things beautiful have vanished from their sight,
Which were once their heart's delight.
The blind father cannot see his beautiful child, nor wife,
That was once the joy of his life;
That he was wont to see at morn and night,
When he had his eyesight.
All comfort has vanished from him now,
And a dejected look hangs on his brow.
Kind Christians all, both great and small,
Pity the sorrows of the blind,
They can but little comfort find;
Therefore we ought to be content with our lot,
And for the eyesight we have got,
And pray to God both day and night
To preserve our eyesight;
To be always willing to help the blind in their distress,
And the Lord will surely bless
And guard us by night and day,
And remember us at the judgment day.
poem by William Topaz McGonagall
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Live Is Blind
I tried to give you love
That was ever flowing
I tried to give a love
That could be so true
But you wanted less
Than I had to offer
What was I to do
I tried to bare a soul
That would swear devotion(?)
I tried to promise dreams
I would make come true
But you said that love was
A game for children
Here I stand, a fool
Love is blind
Blinded by love
You're all I can see in my eyes
My mind says, stop
But my heart says, go
And oh, how it hurts to find
It's true when they say that
Love is blind
Love is blind
I told myself if there
Was a chance to show you
Just how good a love affair could be
But love was something that
You had never given
I just couldn't see
I closed my eyes to all that
You never gave me
(???)My heart didn't wanna see
How you played around
And how well you showed me
How wounded love can be
Love is blind
Blinded by love
You're all I can see in my eyes
My mind says, stop
But my heart says, go
Oh, how it hurts to find
It's true when they say that
Love is blind
Love is blind
So blind
song performed by by Uriah Heep
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Love Is Blind
I tried to give you love
That was ever flowing
I tried to give a love
That could be so true
But you wanted less
Than I had to offer
What was I to do
I tried to bare a soul
That would swear devotion(? )
I tried to promise dreams
I would make come true
But you said that love was
A game for children
Here I stand, a fool
Love is blind
Blinded by love
Youre all I can see in my eyes
My mind says, stop
But my heart says, go
And oh, how it hurts to find
Its true when they say that
Love is blind
Love is blind
I told myself if there
Was a chance to show you
Just how good a love affair could be
But love was something that
You had never given
I just couldnt see
I closed my eyes to all that
You never gave me
(? ? ? )my heart didnt wanna see
How you played around
And how well you showed me
How wounded love can be
Love is blind
Blinded by love
Youre all I can see in my eyes
My mind says, stop
But my heart says, go
Oh, how it hurts to find
Its true when they say that
Love is blind
Love is blind
So blind
song performed by by Uriah Heep
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Age Old Feelings
For this woman, his heart doth treasure
And in his soul, he will always treasure
In her heart, naught these feelings lay
But like a game, with him she'll play
Broken hearted, he cries heavy tears
Such tears had not been shed
For so long a time as to be forgot
Such a time he had such a thought
That a sacred love he would never find
And to said love, he would become blind
A fair young maiden in her tower sits
Between her heart and mind, she is split
Her mind demands she do what she must
Her heart to her mind may never trust
For her heart is where true love lies
Yet in her mind, that same love dies
How can love live and die at the same time?
It seems that thought would be known as crime
To her, True lover seems so far away
But in truth, that love will come one day
They met by chance, it seemed too late
But in his heart, it seemed like fate
She was so scared as was he
More in love, they could not be
But because the fear was combined with love
It did not seem it could last for long
They felt the joy but also the fear
He tried to help, she tried to hear
But she was too afraid to heed
So what he did was show her whats real
Not the things of want but that she was his only desire
The Radiance Of Pure Being
In the light of another sun
much brighter than this one
there no darkness is ever seen
as the mind of thought is clean.
When the ladder is climbed to that domain
what any go there with except love is vain.
Everything else may or can exist below
which is only what this light does show.
There is the Radiance of Pure Being
the like of which few are ever seeing.
A very rare experience by actual sight is had
as the mind is bewildered but the soul is glad.
Intellect and reason have been left behind
as all else except to that light one is blind.
Intuition or direct perception is the means
whereby the mind at its own source gleans.
Any limitations and divisions there don’t exist
only the effulgence of True Light does persist.
Though we receive light and warmth from the stars, moon and sun
all the light in the universe put together can’t ever equal That One.
Could it be That from which all of existence flows
as time and space by mind’s true reflection shows
and whatever seen here is the becoming of That which forever is;
in tangible finite shape or form a manifestation of The Infinite is?
The Radiance of Pure Being is also the essence of everyone’s soul
and so is seen after self effort and grace have performed their role.
To live through all of our days in life and be ignorant of That Light
isn’t what any of us have been born for in this world or given sight.
-----------------------
Note:
This poem relates to an experience vouchsafed to me while staying in the ashram of Swami Muktananda Paramahansa back in 1978. It was almost 20 years after that time the words or inspiration came to write about it.
poem by George Krokos
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Inner Peace
The wind gently lifts my hair,
The sun on my cheeks, my only care,
I stand on a lone hill,
Peace within, my only thrill,
Where are you now? I'm not blind,
Got heaven on my mind!
You may say I have lost my way,
Thats ok,
I found the way out of here,
No longer seem to care,
What if you are lost? I'm not blind,
Got heaven on my mind,
What is there that you need to do, today?
Why can there be no delay?
What is it that just cannot wait?
This is the time to be great!
Will I ever see you again? I'm not blind,
Got heaven on my mind!
Look the other way and you will see,
There is a path that sets us all free,
To stand side by side,
A vision of heaven wide.
Will your heart ever mend? I'm not blind,
Got heaven on my mind!
Throw off the chill, bend to heavens will,
Can't you see, I'm not blind,
Got heaven on my mind!
poem by David Andre' Klopper
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If Love Is Blind
(tim james/steven mcclintock)
People say that youre no good for me
People say it constantly
I hear it said so much I repeat it in my sleep
Maybe I am just a fool for you
Maybe youre no angel too
But all that talk is cheap
When Im alone with you
If love is blind
Ill find my way with you
Cause I cant see myself
Not in love with you
If love is blind
Ill find my way with you
All the world is crazy anyway
Whats it matter what they say
If Im the one thats wrong
Then let in be my mistake
If love is blind
Ill find my way with you
Cause I cant see myself
Im not in love with you
If love is blind
Ill find my way with you
You wouldnt be with me tonight if I didnt feel I was right
What will it matter anyhow a hundred years from now
If love is blind
Ill find my way with you
Cause I cant see myself
Im not in love with you
If love is blind
Ill find my way with you
song performed by by Tiffany
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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It's The Lover (Not The Love)
People say it constantly
I hear it said so much
I repeat it in my sleep
Maybe I am just a fool for you
Maybe you're no angel too
But all that talk is cheap
When I'm alone with you
(Chorus)
If love is blind
I'll find my way with you
Cause I can't see myself
Not in love with you
If love is blind
I'll find my way with you
All the world is crazy anyway
What's it matter what they say
If I'm the one that's wrong
Then let it be my mistake
(Chorus)
If love is blind
I'll find my way with you
Cause I can't see myself
I'm not in love with you
If love is blind
I'll find my way with you
You wouldn't be with me tonight
If I didn't feel that I was right
What will it matter anyhow a hundred
Years from now
(Chorus)
If love is blind
I'll find my way with you
Cause I can't see myself
I'm not in love with you
If love is blind
I'll find my way with you
song performed by by Tiffany
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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I Had To Die
(5/6/12)
I had to die inside so that I could live
I had to see so that I could give
I felt your strength enter my soul
I felt you - make me whole.
I felt the spirit soaring within
I felt my heart start to spin.
I was lost in this troubled world
And turned my back on family and friends
No more ears would I lend.
I expected them to get me out
of the hell that I created
And when they didn't I was devastated.
Why wouldn't they help me - I then asked
Then I remembered my heartless past.
My soul had became cold as ice
And my eyes as blind as can be
And I thought that I was free.
Then night came upon me like
Death upon a battle field
That was when I began to heal.
I saw all the harm that I had done
As I saw the rising sun
Opening my eyes to all the beauties
That GOD had given, and why
Life was so worth living.
Now I see as clear as day
That there is no other way
But to follow the steps of my lord
And my previous life I had to abort.
I asked for forgiveness from all that I had hurt
for my spirit had given new birth.
poem by Louis Rams
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Opiate
Choices always were a problem for you
What you need is someone strong to guide you
Deaf and blind and dumb and born to follow
What you need is someone strong to guide you
Like me
Like me
If you want to get your sould to heaven
Trust in me
Don't judge or question
You are broken now
But faith can heal you
Just do everything I tell you to do
Deaf and blind and dumb and born to follow
Let me lay my holy hand upon you
My God's will
Becomes me
Whe he speaks out
He speaks through me
He has needs
Like I do
We both want to rape you
Jesus Christ
Why don't you come save my life
Open my eyes and blind me with your light
And your lies
song performed by by Tool from Opiate
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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The Night
Through that pure virgin shrine,
That sacred veil drawn o'er Thy glorious noon,
That men might look and live, as glowworms shine,
And face the moon,
Wise Nicodemus saw such light
As made him know his God by night.
Most blest believer he!
Who in that land of darkness and blind eyes
Thy long-expected healing wings could see,
When Thou didst rise!
And, what can never more be done,
Did at midnight speak with the Sun!
Oh who will tell me where
He found Thee at that dead and silent hour?
What hallowed solitary ground did bear
So rare a flower,
Within whose sacred leaves did lie
The fullness of the Deity?
No mercy-seat of gold,
No dead and dusty cherub, nor carved stone,
But His own living works did my Lord hold
And lodge alone;
Where trees and herbs did watch and peep
And wonder, while the Jews did sleep.
Dear night! this world's defeat;
The stop to busy fools; care's check and curb;
The day of spirits; my soul's calm retreat
Which none disturb!
Christ's progress, and His prayer time;
The hours to which high Heaven doth chime;
God's silent, searching flight;
When my Lord's head is filled with dew, and all
His locks are wet with the clear drops of night;
His still, soft call;
His knocking time; the soul's dumb watch,
When spirits their fair kindred catch.
Were all my loud, evil days
Calm and unhaunted as is thy dark tent,
Whose peace but by some angel's wing or voice
Is seldom rent,
Then I in heaven all the long year
Would keep, and never wander here.
But living where the sun
Doth all things wake, and where all mix and tire
Themselves and others, I consent and run
To every mire,
And by this world's ill-guiding light,
Err more than I can do by night.
There is in God - some say -
A deep but dazzling darkness, as men here
Say it is late and dusky, because they
See not all clear.
Oh for that night, where I in Him
Might live invisible and dim!
poem by Henry Vaughan
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Blind
Signs
Signs are lost
Signs disappeared
Turn invisible
Got no sign
Somebody got busted
Got a face of stone
And a ghostwritten biography
Dogs start to run in,
Hungry for some food
Dogs start a-twitching
And theyre looking at you
It was light
By five
Torn all apart
All in the name of democracy
Hes hurt
Hes dying
Claimed he was a terrorist
Claimed to avert a catastrophe
Someone shoulda told him
That the buck stops here
No one ever said
That he was involved with thieves
And theyre blind, blind
Blind, blind, blind, blind, blind
Blind, blind
Blind, blind, blind, blind, blind
No sense of harmony, no sense of time,
Dont mention harmony,
Say: what is it? what is it? what is it?
Give a little shock, and he raises his hand
Somebody shouts out,
Says: what is it? what is it? what is it?
He was shot down in the night!
Peopple ride by but his bodys still alive
The girl in the window what has she done?
She looks down at me ...
Says: i dont want to die!
And Im blind, blind
Blind, blind, blind, blind, blind
Blind, blind
Blind, blind, blind, blind, blind
Somebody could have told us where they go
Crawling all around looking for foot, foot, footprints
Now tell me what the hell have we become?
Some dirty little bastards what the hell is going on? u
No sense of harmony, no sense of time,
Dont mention harmony,
Say: what is it? what is it? what is it?
Give a little shock, and he raises his hand
Somebody shouts out,
Says: what is it? what is it? what is it?
He was shot down in the night!
People ride by but his bodys still alive
The girl in the window what has she done? she looks down at me ...
Says: i dont want to die!
Theyre blind and theyre blind
Blind, blind, blind, blind, blind
Blind, blind
Blind, blind, blind, blind, blind
Blind, blind
Blind, blind, blind, blind, blind
Blind, blind
Blind, blind, blind, blind, blind
song performed by by Talking Heads
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Love Is Blind
Love is blind- it has no barriers, it has no time.
It has no eyes with which to see
It has no voice to call on me.
It just has an inner strength, on which it depends
To say if the love is right or wrong
Which will make it weak or strong.
Love is blind it can not see
It can not say what the future hold for me.
I felt I was falling deeper into the depths
Of her eyes, like a whirlpool pulling me in
Deeper and deeper and no end in sight
No matter how I struggled I was losing this fight.
I decided to let go and face what was ahead
For in her love I was dead.
In stead she lifted me up high into space
Where I could see the love in her face.
Love has no crystal ball or a guiding star
It can not see if it is near or far.
Love doesn’t come when you call its name
It has no face, it has no shame.
It matters not if you’re young or old.
Love is strong, love is bold.
It will touch the coldest heart and make it melt
Bring out feelings you never felt.
Love knows no color or religious belief
It just makes your spirit find relief.
Love can control you, no matter what
You may think or say.
Love in your soul is here to stay.
Love is blind, but love is sweet
It is this worlds biggest treat.
poem by Louis Rams
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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God
THOUGHT of the Infinite--the All!
Be thou my God.
Lover Divine, and Perfect Comrade!
Waiting, content, invisible yet, but certain,
Be thou my God.
Thou--thou, the Ideal Man!
Fair, able, beautiful, content, and loving,
Complete in Body, and dilate in Spirit,
Be thou my God.
O Death--(for Life has served its turn;) 10
Opener and usher to the heavenly mansion!
Be thou my God.
Aught, aught, of mightiest, best, I see, conceive, or know,
(To break the stagnant tie--thee, thee to free, O Soul,)
Be thou my God.
Or thee, Old Cause, when'er advancing;
All great Ideas, the races' aspirations,
All that exalts, releases thee, my Soul!
All heroisms, deeds of rapt enthusiasts,
Be ye my Gods! 20
Or Time and Space!
Or shape of Earth, divine and wondrous!
Or shape in I myself--or some fair shape, I, viewing, worship,
Or lustrous orb of Sun, or star by night:
Be ye my Gods.
poem by Walt Whitman
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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