Selected Quotes by Walt Whitman
"Nothing can happen more beautiful than death."
Walt Whitman, Life, Death
"The powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse."
Walt Whitman, Life
"Oh, to be alive in such an age, when miracles are everywhere, and every inch of common air throbs a tremendous prophecy, of greater marvels yet to be."
Walt Whitman, Life
"I believe a leaf of grass is no less than the journey-work of the stars."
Walt Whitman, Nature
"In the faces of men and women, I see God."
Walt Whitman, Belief
"I swear to you, there are divine things more beautiful than words to tell."
Walt Whitman, Life
"Now I see the secret of making the best person: it is to grow in the open air and to eat and sleep with the earth."
Walt Whitman, Life, Goals, Nature
"It is only the novice in political economy who thinks it is the duty of government to make its citizens happy – government has no such office."
Walt Whitman, Government
"I am satisfied. I see, dance, laugh, sing."
Walt Whitman, Happiness
"Afoot and lighthearted I take the open road, healthy free, the world before me."
Walt Whitman, Life
"Let your soul stand cool and composed before a million universes."
Walt Whitman, Goals, Nature
"Pointing to another world will never stop vice among us; shedding light over this world can alone help us."
Walt Whitman, Belief
"I celebrate myself, and sing myself. And what I assume you shall assume. For every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you."
Walt Whitman, Love
"Do anything, but let it produce joy."
Walt Whitman, Happiness, Goals
"Keep your face always toward the sunshine – and shadows will fall behind you."
Walt Whitman, Goals
"Whatever satisfies the soul is truth."
Walt Whitman, Truth
"I exist as I am, that is enough. If no other in the world be aware I sit content. And if each and all be aware I sit content. One world is aware, and by the far the largest to me, and that is myself. And whether I come to my own today or in ten thousand or ten million years, I can cheerfully take it now, or with equal cheerfulness, I can wait."
Walt Whitman, Goals
"Happiness, not in another place but this place… not for another hour, but this hour."
Walt Whitman, Happiness, Goals
"Re-examine all that you have been told… dismiss that which insults your soul."
Walt Whitman, Goals
"Oh while I live, to be the ruler of life, not a slave, to meet life as a powerful conqueror, and nothing exterior to me will ever take command of me."
Walt Whitman, Goals, Life
"Every moment of light and dark is a miracle."
Walt Whitman, Nature
"Nothing can happen more beautiful than death."
Walt Whitman, Death
"Every hour of every day is an unspeakably perfect miracle."
Walt Whitman, Life
"The road to wisdom is paved with excess. The mark of a true writer is their ability to mystify the familiar and familiarize the strange."
Walt Whitman, Intelligence/Wisdom, Art
"I am to wait. I do not doubt I am to meet you again. I am to see to it that I do not lose you."
Walt Whitman, Goals
"What is that you express in your eyes? It seems to be more than all the print I have read in my life."
Walt Whitman, Life
"Be not dishearten’d – Affection shall solve the problems of freedom yet; those who love each other shall become invincible."
Walt Whitman, Love, Freedom
"Behold I do not give lectures or a little charity. When I give, I give myself."
Walt Whitman, Kindness
"Love the earth and sun and animals. Despise riches, give alms to everyone that asks. Stand up for the stupid and crazy. Devote your income and labor to others. And your flesh shall be a great poem."
Walt Whitman, Nature, Wealth, Kindness
"The strongest and sweetest songs yet remain to be sung."
Walt Whitman, Music
"Failing to fetch me at first, keep encouraged. Missing me one place, search another. I stop somewhere waiting for you."
Walt Whitman, Goals
"I do not ask the wounded person how he feels, I myself become the wounded person."
Walt Whitman, Goals
"Be curious, not judgmental."
Walt Whitman, Goals
"Long enough have you dream’d contemptible dreams. Now I wash the gum from your eyes. You must habit yourself to the dazzle of the light and of every moment of your life."
Walt Whitman, Goals, Life
"All faults may be forgiven of him who has perfect candor."
Walt Whitman, Forgive
"Some people are so much sunshine to the square inch."
Walt Whitman, Life
"Whoever you are, now I place my hand upon you. That you may be my poem. I whisper with my lips close to your ear. I have loved many women and men, but I love none better than you."
Walt Whitman, Love
"I have learned that to be with those I like is enough."
Walt Whitman, Wealth
"All beauty comes from beautiful blood and a beautiful brain."
Walt Whitman, Life
"Sometimes with one I love, I fill myself with rage, for fear I effuse unreturn’d love; But now I think there is no unreturn’d love – the pay is certain, one way or another."
Walt Whitman, Love
"Peace is always beautiful."
Walt Whitman, Anger and Fighting
"Each of us inevitable; Each of us limitless-each of us with his or her right upon the earth."
Walt Whitman, Life
"I am not a bit tamed. I too am untranslatable. I sound my barbaric yawp over the roofs of the world."
Walt Whitman, Life
"Henceforth, I ask not good fortune. I myself am good fortune."
Walt Whitman, Wealth
"Have you learned the lessons only of those who admired you, and were tender with you, and stood aside for you? Have you not learned great lessons from those who braced themselves against you, and disputed passage with you?"
Walt Whitman, Intelligence/Wisdom
"The sum of all known value and respect, I add up in you, whoever you are."
Walt Whitman, Life
"I am larger, better than I thought; I did not know I held so much goodness."
Walt Whitman, Life
"I refuse putting from me the best that I am."
Walt Whitman, Success
"You shall no longer take things at second or third hand, not look through the eyes of the dead, nor feed on the spectres in books. You shall not look through my eyes either, nor take things from me. You shall listen to all sides and filter them from yourself."
Walt Whitman, Goals
"To me, every hour of the day and night is an unspeakably perfect miracle."
Walt Whitman, Life
"There are days that must happen to you."
Walt Whitman, Life
"There is no God any more divine than yourself."
Walt Whitman, Belief
"I like the scientific spirit – the holding off, the being sure but not too sure, the willingness to surrender ideas when the evidence is against them: this is ultimately fine – it always keeps the way beyond open – always gives life, thought, affection, the whole man, a chance to try over again after a mistake – after a wrong guess."
Walt Whitman, Science
"I am as bad as the worst, but, thank God, I am as good as the best."
Walt Whitman, Life
"Do I contradict myself? Very well, then, I contradict myself; I am large – I contain multitudes."
Walt Whitman, Life
"Battles are lost in the same spirit in which they are won."
Walt Whitman, Anger and Fighting
"We don’t read and write poetry because it’s cute. We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race. And the human race is filled with passion. So medicine, law, business, engineering… these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love… these are what we stay alive for."
Walt Whitman, Art, Life
"I discover myself on the verge of a usual mistake."
Walt Whitman, Mistakes
"The art of art, the glory of expression and the sunshine of the light of letters, is simplicity."
Walt Whitman, Art
"Give me the splendid, silent sun with all his beams full-dazzling."
Walt Whitman, Nature
"Not I nor anyone else can travel that road for you. You must travel it by yourself. It is not far. It is within reach. Perhaps you have been on it since you were born, and did not know. Perhaps it is everywhere – on water and land."
Walt Whitman, Goals
"Simplicity is the glory of expression."