THE WORLD BELOW THE BRINE 



Forests at the bottom of the sea the branches 

 and leaves, 



Sea-lettuce, vast lichens, strange flowers and 

 seeds the thick tangle, the openings, and 

 the pink turf, 



Different colors, pale gray and green, purple, 

 white and gold the play of light through 

 the water. - 



Dumb swimmers there among the rocks coral, 

 gluten, grass, rushes and the aliment of 

 the swimmers, 



Sluggish existences grazing there, suspended, 

 or slowly crawling close to the bottom, 



The sperm whale at the surface, blowing air 

 and spray or disporting with his flukes, 



The leaden-eyed shark, the walrus, the turtle, 

 the hairy sea-leopard, and the sting-ray; 



Passions there wars, pursuits, tribes sight 

 in those ocean depths breathing that 

 thick-breathing air as so many do; 



The change thence to the sight here, and to the 

 subtle air breathed by beings like us, who 

 walk this sphere; 



The . change onward from ours, to that of 

 beings who walk other spheres. 



From Leaves of Grass, by Walt Whitman. 



