Classic Poem

Why shouldn't I be stuck on myself?
I do not pass on my way by anybody's leave:
I am sent by the universe to do the errands of infinity:
I am the delegate of all the powers standing for the cosmic intentions:
Look at me: see in me the envoy of Jupiter and Mars: read my credentials:
I am not a child of children born out of the ground to the ends of the ground —
I am a god of gods born out of the heavens to the ends of the spirit:
I am the carrier of worlds to worlds across the abysms of skies:
I do not discredit my office: I dare not cheapen the glory of my mission:
High as the ascents of space, higher I fly:
Deep as the roots of being, deeper I dig:
Strange as the mysteries of time, stranger I am:
Lovely as the beauty of things or souls, lovelier I seem.

I could not think well of you, dear comrade, unless I first thought well of myself,
Or think joy of you unless I thought joy of myself,
Or think justice of you unless I thought justice of myself,
Or think reverence of God unless I thought reverence of myself,
For out of the making of myself proceeds the making of worlds:
Therefore I say that I could not afford to think poorly of myself I who think so richly of the rest —
Therefore I say that I have taken God to be my brother not my king —
Therefore I say that this comrade universe is for all, God and all men and women and children equals of God, share and share alike.

I who can say such sure things of the flower seeing only the seed,
Or of the unfathomable ocean seeing only the tides and the water,
Or of the vast mountains seeing only the pines and the rocks,
Or of the sunrises and sunsets seeing only the colors and the cloud forms,
Or of the tomorrows of time seeing only the yesterdays and the todays:
I who can say such sure things of all else could have no reason for impeaching my own birthhold —
I, too, may make daring uncompromising claims for my sacred foundations,
Not being ready to stand aside for appearances doubting my right to my size
I acknowledge you, you powers over my head, you powers under my feet,
But though I cheerfully countersign your warrant with my full name,
I reserve the supreme endorsements — for my body and my body's soul reserve them without forfeit.

I dont think I could say how great I think everything is —
How great the little is, how great the forgotten is:
And the bad, which hurts and maims me — how great corruption is,
And obscurity and death — how great with eminence not being known is and how great with life the farewells of life are,
And the delays and refusals — how great postponements and negations must be,
And the barbarisms and crimes — how great with reconciliation and restitution they appear,
And, no matter what, anything going wrong — how great with going right it inevitably becomes:
I let myself go, I regard myself with an indulgent eye, I am at ease about my greatness —
I dont think I could explain how competent I know myself to be and every one is in the roster of the constellations

I reckon liberally upon what my eyes see and my ears hear:
I do not cut my measure short or pare my fate too thin:
Even the universe — is it big enough to hold me?
The stock universe does not fit me — the cut and dried universe is out of shape.
Take away your ready made stars, your ready made deities and people:
I must have a universe made to order so it is roomy enough and noble enough to be comfortable in
I have no gospel to preach: I just walk around and let my spirit loose in the crowd:
I who can conceive of such limitless energy for the universe can conceive of just as limitless potentiality for my own body and my own dreams:
I who can admit no pause in the universe can admit no pause in myself:
Why shouldn't I be stuck on myself?