Leaves of Grass

Whoever you are holding me now in hand,
Without one thing all will be useless,
I give you fair warning before you attempt me further,
I am not what you supposed, but far different.

Who is he that would become my follower?
Who would sign himself a candidate for my affections?
The way is suspicious, the result uncertain, perhaps destructive,

You would have to give up all else,
I alone would expect to be your sole and exclusive standard,
You novitiate would even then be long and exhausting,
The whole past theory of your life and all conformity to the lives
around you would have to be abandoned,
Therefore release me now before troubling yourself any further,
let go your hand from my shoulders,
Put me down and depart on your way.


Walt Whitman