Poem of The Heart of The Son of Manhattan Island

WHO has gone farthest? For I swear I will go

      farther;

And who has been just? For I would be the

      most just person of the earth;

And who most cautious? For I would be more

      cautious;

And who has been happiest? O I think it is I!

      I think no one was ever happier than I;

And who has lavished all? For I lavish con-stantlyconstantly the best I have;

And who has been firmest? For I would be

      firmer;

And who proudest? For I think I have reason to be the proudest son alive—for I am the son of the brawny and tall-topt city;

And who has been bold and true? For I would

      be the boldest and truest being of the uni-verseuniverse;

And who benevolent? For I would show more

      benevolence than all the rest;

And who has projected beautiful words through

      the longest time? By God! I will outvie

      him! I will say such words, they shall

      stretch through longer time!

And who has received the love of the most

      friends? For I know what it is to receive

      the passionate love of many friends;

And to whom has been given the sweetest from

      women, and paid them in kind? For I will

      take the like sweets, and pay them in kind;

And who possesses a perfect and enamored body?

      For I do not believe any one possesses a

      more perfect or enamored body than mine;

And who thinks the amplest thoughts? For I

      will surround those thoughts;

And who has made hymns fit for the earth? For

      I am mad with devouring ecstasy to make

      joyous hymns for the whole earth!