Poems By Walt Whitman Part 28

5.

All the past we leave behind; We debouch upon a newer, mightier world, varied world; Fresh and strong the world we seize, world of labour and the march, Pioneers! O pioneers!

6.

We detachments steady throwing, Down the edges, through the pa.s.ses, up the mountains steep, Conquering, holding, daring, venturing, as we go, the unknown ways, Pioneers! O pioneers!

7.

We primeval forests felling, We the rivers stemming, vexing we, and piercing deep the mines within; We the surface broad surveying, and the virgin soil upheaving, Pioneers! O pioneers!

8.

Colorado men are we, From the peaks gigantic, from the great sierras and the high plateaus, From the mine and from the gully, from the hunting trail we come, Pioneers! O pioneers!

9.

From Nebraska, from Arkansas, Central inland race are we, from Missouri, with the continental blood interveined; All the hands of comrades clasping, all the Southern, all the Northern, Pioneers! O pioneers!

10.

O resistless, restless race!

O beloved race in all! O my breast aches with tender love for all!

O I mourn and yet exult--I am rapt with love for all, Pioneers! O pioneers;

11.

Raise the mighty mother mistress, Waving high the delicate mistress, over all the starry mistress, (bend your heads all,) Raise the fanged and warlike mistress, stern, impa.s.sive, weaponed mistress, Pioneers! O pioneers!

12.

See, my children, resolute children, By those swarms upon our rear, we must never yield or falter, Ages back in ghostly millions, frowning there behind us urging, Pioneers! O pioneers!

13.

On and on, the compact ranks, With accessions ever waiting, with the places of the dead quickly filled, Through the battle, through defeat, moving yet and never stopping, Pioneers! O pioneers!

14.

O to die advancing on!

Are there some of us to droop and die? has the hour come?

Then upon the march we fittest die, soon and sure the gap is filled, Pioneers! O pioneers!

15.

All the pulses of the world, Falling in, they beat for us, with the Western movement beat; Holding single or together, steady moving, to the front, all for us, Pioneers! O pioneers!

16.

Life's involved and varied pageants, All the forms and shows, all the workmen at their work, All the seamen and the landsmen, all the masters with their slaves, Pioneers, O pioneers!

17.

All the hapless silent lovers, All the prisoners in the prisons, all the righteous and the wicked, All the joyous, all the sorrowing, all the living, all the dying, Pioneers! O pioneers!

18.

I too with my soul and body, We, a curious trio, picking, wandering on our way, Through these sh.o.r.es, amid the shadows, with the apparitions pressing, Pioneers! O pioneers!

19.

Lo! the darting, bowling orb!

Lo! the brother orbs around! all the cl.u.s.tering suns and planets; All the dazzling days, all the mystic nights with dreams, Pioneers! O pioneers!

20.

These are of us, they are with us, All for primal needed work, while the followers there in embryo wait behind, We to-day's procession heading, we the route for travel clearing, Pioneers! O pioneers!

21.

O you daughters of the West!

O you young and elder daughters! O you mothers and you wives!

Never must you be divided, in our ranks you move united, Pioneers! O pioneers!

22.

Minstrels latent on the prairies!

(Shrouded bards of other lands! you may sleep--you have done your work;) Soon I hear you coming warbling, soon you rise and tramp amid us, Pioneers! O pioneers!