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Whitman, Walt, 1819-1892

"Poems By Walt Whitman"


Great is Justice!
Justice is not settled by legislators and laws--it is in the Soul;
It cannot be varied by statutes, any more than love, pride, the attraction
of gravity, can;
It is immutable--it does not depend on majorities--majorities or what not
come at last before the same passionless and exact tribunal.
For justice are the grand natural lawyers, and perfect judges--it is in
their souls;
It is well assorted--they have not studied for nothing--the great includes
the less;
They rule on the highest grounds--they oversee all eras, states,
administrations.
The perfect judge fears nothing--he could go front to front before God;
Before the perfect judge all shall stand back--life and death shall stand
back--heaven and hell shall stand back.

7.
Great is Life, real and mystical, wherever and whoever;
Great is Death--sure as Life holds all parts together, Death holds all
parts together.
Has Life much purport?--Ah! Death has the greatest purport.

_THE POET._

1.
Now list to my morning's romanza;
To the cities and farms I sing, as they spread in the sunshine before me.

2.
A young man came to me bearing a message from his brother;
How should the young man know the whether and when of his brother?
Tell him to send me the signs.


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