All about Walt Whitman

5 CONCLUSION (Part 13)

“A Song for Occupations” is a great pronouncement by Whitman in relation to labor, equality and politics, since it balances all society, asserting that no one is above or below any one else. Besides, he sings that everything springs from the people, politics, religion, democracy, laws, Constitution, and that everything must be done for the people and not the other way around, as is thought until today in Brazil, for example. The following excerpt incites the reader to understand this issue (in this case, the substance is more important than the form):

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WHITMAN:

We thought our Union grand, and our Constitution grand,
I do not say they are not grand and good, for they are,
I am this day just as much in love with them as you,
Then I am in love with You, and with all my fellows upon the earth.

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We consider bibles and religions divine—I do not say they are not divine,
I say they have all grown out of you, and may grow out of you still,
It is not they who give the life, it is you who give the life,
Leaves are not more shed from the trees, or trees from the earth, than they          are shed out of you.
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4

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The sum of all known reverence I add up in you whoever you are,
The President is there in the White House for you, it is not you who are here       for him,
The Secretaries act in their bureaus for you, not you here for them,
The Congress convenes every Twelfth-month for you,
Laws, courts, the forming of States, the charters of cities, the going and   coming of commerce and mails, are all for you.

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OUR RE-CREATION:

Achamos nossa União grandiosa e nossa Constituição grandiosa,

Não digo que elas não são grandiosas e boas, pois são,

Estou hoje tão apaixonado por elas quanto tu,

Então estou apaixonado por Ti, e por todos meus companheiros sobre a terra.

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Consideramos bíblias e religiões divinas—não digo que elas não são divinas,

Digo que elas brotaram de ti, e ainda podem brotar de ti,

Não são elas que dão a vida, é tu que dás a vida,

Folhas não são mais vertidas das árvores, ou árvores da terra, do que são vertidas de ti.

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A soma de toda reverência conhecida eu acrescento a ti quem sejas,

O Presidente está lá na Casa Branca por ti, não és tu que está lá por ele,

Os Secretários agem em suas repartições por ti, não tu aqui por eles,

O Congresso se reúne a cada doze meses por ti,

Leis, tribunais, a formação de Estados, as cartas das cidades, o ir e vir do comércio e correspondências, são tudo por ti.

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