Seascapes and Shanties

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The world below the brine, 
Forests at the bottom of the sea, the branches and leaves,
Sea-lettuce, vast lichens, strange flowers and seeds, 
      the thick tangle, openings, and pink turf, 
Different colors, pale gray and green, purple, white, and gold, 
       the play of light through the water, 
Dumb swimmers there among the rocks, coral, 
      gluten, grass, rushes, and the aliment of the swimmers. 
Sluggish existences grazing there suspended, 
       or slowly crawling close to the bottom, 
The sperm-whale at the surface blowing air and spray, 
       or disporting with his flukes. 
The leaden-eyed shark, the walrus, the turtle, 
     the hairy sea-leopard, and the sting-ray. 
Passions there, wars, pursuits, tribes, sight in those ocean-depths, 
breathing that thick-breathing air, as so many do. 
The change thence to the sight here, 
      and to the subtle air breathed by beings like us who walk this sphere. 
The change onward from ours to that of beings who walk other spheres. 

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[Passage to more than India!
O secret of the earth and sky!
Of you, O waters of the sea! O winding creeks and rivers!
Of you, O woods and fields! Of you, strong mountains of my land!
Of you, O prairies! Of you, gray rocks!
O morning red! O clouds! O rain and snows!
O day and night, passage to you!
  
O sun and moon, and all you stars! Sirius and Jupiter!
Passage to you!
  
Passage - immediate passage! the blood burns in my veins!]1
Away, O soul! hoist instantly the anchor!
Cut the hawsers - haul out - shake out every sail!
[Have we not stood here like trees in the ground long enough?	 
Have we not grovell'd here long enough, eating and drinking like mere brutes?
Have we not darken'd and dazed ourselves with books long enough?]1
  
Sail forth! steer for the deep waters only!
Reckless, O soul, exploring, I with thee, and thou with me;
For we are bound where mariner has not yet dared to go,
And we will risk the ship, ourselves and all.

O my brave soul!
O farther, farther sail!
O daring joy, but safe! Are they not all the seas of God?
O farther, farther, farther sail!