Classic Poem

Going with heart so sure to the edge of the world we know,
Counting the miles allowed, counting the quota of years,
Exact to an inch the field, exact to a second the lease,
Surveying the vista without hope, entrusting to the soul only its mortal errands,
Keeping all threatened adventure home in the safe confines,
Taking no chances with space, taking no liberties with time,
Settling each bill before nightfall and fearing to borrow on next day,
Knowing nothing of beyonds, conceding no farther bounds,
Holding impatient pioneers back in inherited lands.
These were the guardians of youth, these were the censors of age,
Giving to the preface of the certain day the finis of the certain night,
Year after year maintained in the likeness of similar years,
Not seeing that the amplest horizon but leads to a larger circle farther on,
Always keeping death close upon the heels of birth, forever reminding the beginning of the end,
Giving to the usual paths the preferences of the settled soul.

This was what I was born into and this was what you called life,
This you felt was sure, here the ground was under your feet:
In the vaguer pastures outside, in the dimming cloudlands ahead, you saw nothing but menaces gathered.
I looked, looked past all looking, looked into the shaded wilds,
I saw life released into the authority of larger life
I heard your cries, and as I went on heard that they fell behind.
I had not asked for safety, I had only asked for life,
In the life you called life I could find safety but I could not find life.
I wandered to the last allotment of earth, accepting its measured acres,
I went with the most of men the last allowed foot of space,
I spent with the most of men the last prescribed minute of time,
Then I said good bye and leapt into the saving void

I needed room to be safe, I could not be safe in a little room: I needed much room:
I needed time to be safe, I could not be safe in a little time: I needed much time:
I needed danger and disaster and deprivation to be safe, I could not be safe in the velvet repose of plenty,
I could not find safety in the dead pool, I stagnated with the pool,
I could only find safety in the tides of rivers and the currents of seas, I was alive with the river and the sea.

I go with any man as far as any man has man to go,
I go with safety as far as safety has safety to go,
I go with logic as far as logic has logic to go,
I go with rules and forms as far as rules and forms have rule and form to go,
I go with virtue as far as virtue has virtue to go,
I go with love, O love with love, as far as love has love to go,
I go with all things as far as all things have all to go,
Then say good bye and stake my fortune on the issue abroad,
Abandoning all charts and anchorages to keep my appointment with life,
Sailing out of sight of safety to be safe,
Going with step so sure as far as my bondsmen will go,
Then leaving the bondsmen behind and continuing the journey alone,
Not doubting that life will there find something better than ground for my feet to tread,
With sail so sure sailing the unsailed waters,
With step so sure breaking into the pathless lands:
Going with heart so sure, with heart so sure.