Whitman, Walt, 1819-1892. Leaves of Grass (1872)
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3
(7) The workmanship of souls is by the inaudible words
of the earth;
The great masters know the earth's words, and use
them more than the audible words.
(8) Amelioration is one of the earth's words;
The earth neither lags nor hastens;
It has all attributes, growths, effects, latent in itself
from the jump;
It is not half beautiful only -- defects and excrescences
show just as much as perfections show.
(9) The earth does not withhold, it is generous enough;
The truths of the earth continually wait, they are not
so conceal'd either;
They are calm, subtle, untransmissible by print;
They are imbued through all things, conveying them-
selves willingly,
Conveying a sentiment and invitation of the earth -- I
utter and utter,
I speak not, yet if you hear me not, of what avail am I
to you?
To bear -- to better -- lacking these, of what avail am I?