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12
Leaves of Grass.

27. I say no man has ever been half devout enough,
None has ever adored or worship'd half enough,
None has begun to think how divine he himself is,
and how certain the future is.

28. I specifically announce that the real and permanent
grandeur of These States must be their Religion,
Otherwise there is no real and permanent grandeur.

29. What are you doing, young man?
Are you so earnest—so given up to literature,
science, art, amours?
These ostensible realities, materials, points?
Your ambition or business, whatever it may be?

30. It is well—Against such I say not a word—I am
their poet also;
But behold! such swiftly subside—burnt up for
Religion's sake,
For not all matter is fuel to heat, impalpable flame,
the essential life of the earth,
Any more than such are to Religion.

31. What do you seek, so pensive and silent?
What do you need, comrade?
Mon cher! do you think it is love?

32. Proceed, comrade,
It is a painful thing to love a man or woman to
excess—yet it satisfies—it is great,
But there is something else very great—it makes the
whole coincide,