AFOOT and light-hearted, I take to the open road,
Healthy, free, the world before me,
The long brown path before me, leading wherever I choose.
Henceforth I ask not good-fortune鈥擨 myself am good fortune;
Henceforth I whimper no more, postpone no more, need nothing, 5
Strong and content, I travel the open road.
The earth鈥攖hat is sufficient;
I do not want the constellations any nearer;
I know they are very well where they are;
I know they suffice for those who belong to them. 10
(Still here I carry my old delicious burdens;
I carry them, men and women鈥擨 carry them with me wherever I go;
I swear it is impossible for me to get rid of them;
I am fill鈥檇 with them, and I will fill them in return.)
2
You road I enter upon and look around! I believe you are not all that is here; 15
I believe that much unseen is also here.
Here the profound lesson of reception, neither preference or denial;
The black with his woolly head, the felon, the diseas鈥檇, the illiterate person, are not denied;
The birth, the hasting after the physician, the beggar鈥檚 tramp, the drunkard鈥檚 stagger, the laughing party of mechanics,
The escaped youth, the rich person鈥檚 carriage, the fop, the eloping couple, 20
The early market-man, the hearse, the moving of furniture into the town, the return back from the town,
They pass鈥擨 also pass鈥攁nything passes鈥攏one can be interdicted;
None but are accepted鈥攏one but are dear to me.
3
You air that serves me with breath to speak!
You objects that call from diffusion my meanings, and give them shape! 25
You light that wraps me and all things in delicate equable showers!
You paths worn in the irregular hollows by the roadsides!
I think you are latent with unseen existences鈥攜ou are so dear to me.
You flagg鈥檇 walks of the cities! you strong curbs at the edges!
You ferries! you planks and posts of wharves! you timber-lined sides! you distant ships! 30
You rows of houses! you window-pierc鈥檇 fa莽ades! you roofs!
You porches and entrances! you copings and iron guards!
You windows whose transparent shells might expose so much!
You doors and ascending steps! you arches!
You gray stones of interminable pavements! you trodden crossings! 35
From all that has been near you, I believe you have imparted to yourselves, and now would impart the same secretly to me;
From the living and the dead I think you have peopled your impassive surfaces, and the spirits thereof would be evident and amicable with me.
4
The earth expanding right hand and left hand,
The picture alive, every part in its best light,
The music falling in where it is wanted, and stopping where it is not wanted, 40
The cheerful voice of the public road鈥攖he gay fresh sentiment of the road.
O highway I travel! O public road! do you say to me, Do not leave me?
Do you say, Venture not? If you leave me, you are lost?
Do you say, I am already prepared鈥擨 am well-beaten and undenied鈥攁dhere to me?
O public road! I say back, I am not afraid to leave you鈥攜et I love you; 45
You express me better than I can express myself;
You shall be more to me than my poem.
I think heroic deeds were all conceiv鈥檇 in the open air, and all great poems also;
I think I could stop here myself, and do miracles;
(My judgments, thoughts, I henceforth try by the open aParaphrase this for me?
Happily i start my journey on foot,
I, who is healthy and free, can see the road,
and I can choose any of the roads before me.
I don't need good luck, for myself is good luck,
from now on, I will not whimper, postphone or need anything,
Confidently, I beging my journey.
sorry i don't think i can do anymore.. but nice poem!Paraphrase this for me?
...way too long to read.
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