The proof of a poet is that his country absorbs him as affectionately as he has absorbed it.

To me, every hour of the day and night is an unspeakably perfect miracle.

Simplicity is the glory of expression.

Nothing can happen more beautiful than death.

To the real artist in humanity, what are called bad manners are often the most picturesque and significant of all.

And your very flesh shall be a great poem.

I no doubt deserved my enemies, but I don't believe I deserved my friends.

Henceforth I ask not good fortune. I myself am good fortune.

After you have exhausted what there is in business, politics, conviviality, and so on - have found that none of these finally satisfy, or permanently wear - what remains? Nature remains.

I have learned that to be with those I like is enough.

Whatever satisfies the soul is truth.

Speech is the twin of my vision, it is unequal to measure itself, it provokes me forever, it says sarcastically, Walt you contain enough, why don't you let it out then?

There is that indescribable freshness and unconsciousness about an illiterate person that humbles and mocks the power of the noblest expressive genius.

A morning-glory at my window satisfies me more than the metaphysics of books.

Let your soul stand cool and composed before a million universes.

Have you learned the lessons only of those who admired you, and were tender with you, and stood aside for you? Have you not learned great lessons from those who braced themselves against you, and disputed passage with you?

The words of my book nothing, the drift of it everything.

I say to mankind, Be not curious about God. For I, who am curious about each, am not curious about God - I hear and behold God in every object, yet understand God not in the least.

I believe a leaf of grass is no less than the journey-work of the stars.

I celebrate myself, and sing myself.

Here or henceforward it is all the same to me, I accept Time absolutely.

Now I see the secret of making the best person: it is to grow in the open air and to eat and sleep with the earth.

I cannot be awake for nothing looks to me as it did before, Or else I am awake for the first time, and all before has been a mean sleep.

Judging from the main portions of the history of the world, so far, justice is always in jeopardy.

The whole theory of the universe is directed unerringly to one single individual.

Every moment of light and dark is a miracle.

Behold I do not give lectures or a little charity, When I give I give myself.

Whoever degrades another degrades me, And whatever is done or said returns at last to me.

I find no sweeter fat than sticks to my own bones.

Other lands have their vitality in a few, a class, but we have it in the bulk of our people.

There is no week nor day nor hour when tyranny may not enter upon this country, if the people lose their roughness and spirit of defiance.

He most honors my style who learns under it to destroy the teacher.

There is no object so soft but it makes a hub for the wheeled universe.

The dirtiest book of all is the expurgated book.

The United States themselves are essentially the greatest poem.

Give me odorous at sunrise a garden of beautiful flowers where I can walk undisturbed.

Have you heard that it was good to gain the day? I also say it is good to fall, battles are lost in the same spirit in which they are won.

I see great things in baseball. It's our game - the American game.

When I give, I give myself.

Keep your face always toward the sunshine - and shadows will fall behind you.

We convince by our presence.

Produce great men, the rest follows.

Stranger, if you passing meet me and desire to speak to me, why should you not speak to me? And why should I not speak to you?

Do I contradict myself? Very well, then I contradict myself, I am large, I contain multitudes.

Viewed freely, the English language is the accretion and growth of every dialect, race, and range of time, and is both the free and compacted composition of all.

All faults may be forgiven of him who has perfect candor.

If you done it, it ain't bragging.

A great city is that which has the greatest men and women.

I accept reality and dare not question it.