Yet all were lacking, if sex were lacking, or if the 
moisture of the right man were lacking.

Sex contains all,

Bodies, Souls, meanings, proofs, purities, delicacies,
results, promulgations,

Songs, commands, health, pride, the maternal mystery,
the semitic milk,

All hopes, benefactions, bestowals,

All the passions, loves, beauties, delights of the 
earth,

All the governments, judges, gods, follow'd persons of 
the earth,

These are contain'd in sex, as parts of itself, and jus-
tifications of itself.

Without shame the man I like knows and avows the 
deliciousness of his sex,

Without shame the woman I like knows and avows 
hers.

Now I will dismiss myself from impassive women,

I will go stay with her who waits for me, and with 
those women that are warm-blooded and suffi-
cient for me:

I see that they understand me, and do not deny me:

I see that they are worthy of me—I will be the robust 
husband of those women.

They are not one jot less than I am,

They are tann'd in the face by shining suns and 
blowing winds,

Their flesh has the old divine suppleness and strength,

All the passions, loves, beauties, delights of the 
earth,

All the governments, judges, gods, follow'd persons of
the earth

2. Imagery
Without shame the man I like knows and avows the deliciousness of his sex.

3. Hyperbole
She contains all, nothing is lacking

4. Personification
Sex contains all

5. Alliteration
...the maternal mystery, the semitic milk

6. Irony
Their flesh has the old divine suppleness and strength.

Whereupon, lo! upsprang the aboriginal name!

Now I see what there is in a name, a word, liquid, 
sane, unruly, musical, self-sufficient; 

I see that the word of my city is that word up there,

Because I see that word nested in nests of water-bays, 
superb, with tall and wonderful spires,

Rich, hemm'd thick all around with sailships and 
steamships—an island sixteen miles long, solid-
founded,

Numberless crowded streets—high growths of iron, 
slender, strong, light, splendidly uprising to-
ward clear skies; 

Tides swift and ample, well-loved by me, toward sun-
down,

The flowing sea-currents, the little islands, larger ad-
joining islands, the heights, the villas,

The countless masts, the white shore-steamers, the 
lighters, the ferry-boats, the black sea-steam-
ers, well model'd;

The down-town streets, the jobbers' houses of busi-
ness—the houses of business of the ship-mer-
chants, and money-brokers—the river-streets; 

Immigrants arriving, fifteen or twenty thousand in a 
week; 

The carts hauling goods—the manly race of drivers of 
horses—the brown-faced sailors; 

The summer-air, the bright sun shining, and the sail-
ing clouds aloft; 

The winter snows, the sleigh-bells—the broken ice in 
the river, passing along, up or down, with the 
flood-tide or-ebb tide; 

The mechanics of the city, the masters, well-form'd, 
beautiful-faced, looking you straight in the 
eyes; 

Trottoirs throng'd—vehicles—Broadway—the women 
—the shops and shows,

The parades, processions, bugles playing, flags flying, 
drums beating; 

A million people—manners free and superb—open 
voices—hospitality—the most courageous and 
friendly young men; 

The free city! no slaves! no owners of slaves!

The beautiful city, the city of hurried and sparkling 
waters! the city of spires and masts!

The city nested in bays! my city!

The city of such women, I am mad to be with them! 
I will return after death to be with them!

The city of such young men, I swear I cannot live 
happy, without I often go talk, walk, eat, drink, 
sleep, with them!

The city of such women, I am mad to be with them! 
I will return after death to be with them!

The city of such young men, I swear I cannot live
happy, without I often go talk, walk, eat, drink,
sleep, with them!

2. Imagery
Rich, hemm'd thick all around with sailships and
steamships—an island sixteen miles long, solid-
founded.

3. Hyperbole
A million people—manners free and superb

4. Alliteration
The summer-air, the bright sun shining, and the sail-
ing clouds aloft;

5. Personfication
Tides swift and ample, well-loved by me, toward sun-
down

6. Irony
The mechanics of the city, the masters, well-form'd,
beautiful-faced