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9.11.09

Who is now reading this?

Who is now reading this?
May-be one is now reading this who knows some wrong-doing of my past life,
Or may-be a stranger is reading this who has secretly loved me,
Or may-be one who meets all my grand assumptions and egotisms with derision,
Or may-be one who is puzzled at me. As if I were not puzzled at myself!
Or as if I never deride myself! O conscience-struck! O self-convicted!
Or as if I do not secretly love strangers! O tenderly, a long time, and never avow it;
Or as if I did not see, perfectly well, interior in myself, the stuff of wrong-doing,
Or as if it could cease transpiring from me until it must cease.
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- Whitman -
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