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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,