xix.

whitman

....

whoever you are holding me now in hand
without one thing all will be useless
i give you fair warning before you attempt me further
i am not what you supposed, but far different

who is he that would become my follower?
who would sign himself a candidate for my affections?

the way is suspicious, the result uncertain, perhaps destructive
you would have to give up all else, i alone would expect to be 
your sole and exclusive standard
your novitiate would even then be long and exhausting
the whole past theory of your life and all conformity to the lives 
around you would have to be abandoned

therefore release me now before troubling yourself any further
let go your hand from my shoulder
put me down and depart on your way

. . .

but these leaves conning you con at peril
for these leaves and me you will not understand
they will elude you at first and still more afterward- i will certainly elude you
even while you should think you had unquestionably caught me, behold-
already you see i have escaped from you

. . .