Long I thought that knowledge alone would suffice me – O if I could but obtain knowledge!
Then my lands engrossed me – Lands of the prairies, Ohio’s land, the southern savannas, engrossed me – For them I would live – I would be their orator;
Then I met the examples of old and new heroes – I heard of warriors, sailors, and all dauntless persons – And it seemed to me that I too had it in me to be as dauntless as any – and would be so;
And then, to enclose all, it came to me to strike up the songs of the
New World – And then I believed my life must be spent in singing;
But now take notice, land of the prairies, land of the south savannas, Ohio’s land,
Take notice, you Kanuck woods – and you Lake Huron – and all that with you roll toward Niagara – and you Niagara also,
And you, Californian mountains – That you each and all find somebody else to be your singer of songs,
For I can be your singer of songs no longer – One who loves me is jealous of me, and withdraws me from all but love,
With the rest I dispense – I sever from what I thought would suffice me, for it does not – it is now empty and tasteless to me,
I heed knowledge, and the grandeur of The States, and the example of heroes, no more,
I am indifferent to my own songs – I will go with him I love,
It is to be enough for us that we are together – We never separate again.