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Whitman, Walt - A Song for Occupations
Identifier
010991
Type of Spiritual Experience
Background
A description of the experience
Walt Whitman – A Song for Occupations
All doctrines, all politics and civilisation exurge from you
All sculpture and monuments and anything inscribed anywhere are tallied in you
The gist of histories and statistics as far back as the records reach
is in you this hour – and myths and tales the same;
If you were not breathing and walking here where would they be?
The most renowned poems would be ashes – ovations and plays would be vacuums
All architecture is what you do to it when you look upon it
Did you think it was in the white or grey stone? Or the lines of the arches and cornices?
All music is what awakens from you when you are reminded by the instruments
It is not the violins and the cornets – it is not the oboe nor the
beating drums – nor the notes of the baritone singer singing
his sweet romanza – nor those of the men's chorus, nor
those of the women's chorus
It is nearer and farther than they
Will the whole come back then?
Can each see the signs of the best by a look in the looking glass?
Is there nothing greater or more?
Does all sit there with you and here with me?