Walt Whitman - Out from Behind This Mask [To Confront a Portrait]

1

Out from behind this bending rough-cut mask,
These lights and shades, this drama of the whole,
This common curtain of the face contain'd in me for me, in you for
you, in each for each,
(Tragedies, sorrows, laughter, tears--0 heaven!
The passionate teeming plays this curtain hid!)
This glaze of God's serenest purest sky,
This film of Satan's seething pit,
This heart's geography's map, this limitless small continent, this
soundless sea;
Out from the convolutions of this globe,
This subtler astronomic orb than sun or moon, than Jupiter, Venus, Mars,
This condensation of the universe, (nay here the only universe,
Here the idea, all in this mystic handful wrapt;)
These burin'd eyes, flashing to you to pass to future time,
To launch and spin through space revolving sideling, from these to emanate,
To you whoe'er you are--a look.

2

A traveler of thoughts and years, of peace and war,
Of youth long sped and middle age declining,
(As the first volume of a tale perused and laid away, and this the second,
Songs, ventures, speculations, presently to close,)
Lingering a moment here and now, to you I opposite turn,
As on the road or at some crevice door by chance, or open'd window,
Pausing, inclining, baring my head, you specially I greet,
To draw and clinch your soul for once inseparably with mine,
Then travel travel on.

Submited by

Monday, April 11, 2011 - 00:31

Poesia Consagrada :

No votes yet

Walt Whitman

Walt Whitman's picture
Offline
Title: Membro
Last seen: 14 years 9 weeks ago
Joined: 04/08/2011
Posts:
Points: 849

Add comment

Login to post comments

other contents of Walt Whitman

Topic Title Replies Views Last Postsort icon Language
Poesia Consagrada/General Walt Whitman Poems : Tests 0 3.354 04/13/2011 - 00:24 English
Poesia Consagrada/General Walt Whitman Poems : Tears 0 3.839 04/13/2011 - 00:18 English
Poesia Consagrada/General Walt Whitman Poems : Starting from Paumanok 0 4.222 04/13/2011 - 00:14 English
Poesia Consagrada/General Walt Whitman Poems : Spontaneous Me 0 4.287 04/13/2011 - 00:06 English
Poesia Consagrada/General Walt Whitman Poems : Spirit Whose Work Is Done [Washington City, 1865] 0 5.161 04/13/2011 - 00:03 English
Poesia Consagrada/General Walt Whitman Poems : Spirit That Form'd This Scene 0 3.710 04/13/2011 - 00:02 English
Poesia Consagrada/General Walt Whitman Poems : Sparkles from the Wheel 0 3.385 04/13/2011 - 00:01 English
Poesia Consagrada/General Walt Whitman Poems : Spain, 1873-74 0 3.973 04/12/2011 - 23:57 English
Poesia Consagrada/General Walt Whitman Poems : Soon Shall the Winter's Foil Be Here 0 3.047 04/12/2011 - 23:55 English
Poesia Consagrada/General Walt Whitman Poems : Song of the Universal 0 3.483 04/12/2011 - 23:51 English
Poesia Consagrada/General Walt Whitman Poems : A Song of the Rolling Earth 0 2.756 04/12/2011 - 23:50 English
Poesia Consagrada/General Walt Whitman Poems : Song of the Redwood-Tree 0 3.801 04/12/2011 - 23:48 English
Poesia Consagrada/General Walt Whitman Poems : Song of the Open Road 0 2.814 04/12/2011 - 23:43 English
Poesia Consagrada/General Walt Whitman Poems : Song of the Exposition 0 2.739 04/12/2011 - 23:40 English
Poesia Consagrada/General Walt Whitman Poems : Song of the Broad-Axe 0 3.631 04/12/2011 - 02:18 English
Poesia Consagrada/General Walt Whitman Poems : Song of the Banner at Daybreak 0 4.060 04/12/2011 - 01:47 English
Poesia Consagrada/General Walt Whitman Poems : Song of the Answerer 0 3.936 04/12/2011 - 01:44 English
Poesia Consagrada/General Walt Whitman Poems : Song of Prudence 0 7.265 04/12/2011 - 01:35 English
Poesia Consagrada/General Walt Whitman Poems : Song of Myself 0 10.045 04/12/2011 - 01:19 English
Poesia Consagrada/General Walt Whitman Poems : A Song of Joys 0 4.170 04/12/2011 - 00:59 English
Poesia Consagrada/General Walt Whitman Poems : A Song for Occupations 0 3.333 04/12/2011 - 00:56 English
Poesia Consagrada/General Walt Whitman Poems : Song for All Seas, All Ships 0 4.478 04/12/2011 - 00:54 English
Poesia Consagrada/General Walt Whitman Poems : Song at Sunset 0 2.734 04/12/2011 - 00:52 English
Poesia Consagrada/General Walt Whitman Poems : So Long! 0 4.547 04/12/2011 - 00:36 English
Poesia Consagrada/General Walt Whitman Poems : Small the Theme of My Chant 0 4.754 04/12/2011 - 00:34 English