Out from Behind this Mask

. . .

Sit awhile wayfarer,
Here are biscuits to eat and here is milk to drink,
But as soon as you sleep and renew yourself in sweet clothes I will certainly kiss you with my goodbye kiss and open the gate for your egress hence.

Long enough have you dreamed 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

Long have you timidly waded, holding a plank by the shore,
Now I will you to be a bold swimmer,
To jump off in the midst of the sea, and rise again and nod to me and shout, and laughingly dash with your hair.

I am the teacher of athletes,
He that by me spreads a wider breast than my own proves the width of my own,
He most honors my style who learns under it to destroy the teacher.

. . .

I hope to see some of you at the South Street Seaport today!

The Sixth Annual “Song of Myself” Marathon will take place aboard the tall ship Peking at the South Street Seaport Museum in Lower Manhattan on Sunday, September 6 from 3:00-5:30 p.m. A reading of Whitman’s great poem, hosted by New York University Professor Karen Karbiener, in which you are heartily invited to participate! For more information or to sign up for the reading, please contact Christine Modica at cmodica@southstseaport.org or 212-748-8738. Leave your name, email, and poem sections of preference (if any). Free to SSS Museum members; $5 non-members.

Photos to follow.