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Song Of The Open Road (extract) (From Mr NANA, Provincial High School of Kaya)

Afoot and light- hearted I take to the open road,
Healthy, free, the world before me,
The long brown path before me leading wherever I choose.
Henceforth I ask not good-fortune, I myself am good-fortune,
Henceforth I whimper no more, postpone no more, need nothing,
Done with indoor complaints, libraries, querulous criticisms,
Strong and content I travel the open road.
The earth, that is sufficient,
I do not want the constellations any nearer,
I know they are very well where they are,
I know they suffice for those who belong to them.
[…]
Allons! The road is before us!
It is safe – I have tried it – my own feet have tried it
Well – be not detain’d!
Let the paper remain on the desk unwritten, and the book on the shelf unopen’d !
Let the tools remain in the workshop! Let the money remain unearn’d!
Let the school stand! mind not the cry of the teacher!
Let the preacher preach in his pulpit! let the lawyer plead
in the court, and the judge expound the law.
Camerado, I give you my hand!
I give you myself before preaching or law;
Will you give me yourself; will you come travel with me?
Shall we stick by each other as long as we live?

By Walt Whitman.