Gods

"Gods" is a song by Marc Blitzstein that sets the poetry of Walt Whitman from his Leaves of Grass. "Gods" is one of Marc Blitzstein's many Whitman Songs. This poem has also been set by Ned Rorem: "Gods".

Date: 1926Composer: Marc BlitzsteinText: Walt WhitmanSong Collection: Whitman Songs

Print vitals & song text

Text

Gods
by Walt Whitman

Lover divine and perfect Comrade,
Waiting content, invisible yet, but certain,
Be thou my God.

Thou, thou, the Ideal Man,
Fair, able, beautiful, content, and loving,
Complete in body and dilate in spirit,
Be thou my God.

O Death, (for Life has served its turn,)
Opener and usher to the heavenly mansion,
Be thou my God.

Aught, aught of mightiest, best I see, conceive, or know,
(To break the stagnant tie–thee, thee to free, O soul,)
Be thou my God.

All great ideas, the races’ aspirations,
All heroisms, deeds of rapt enthusiasts,
Be ye my Gods.

Or Time and Space,
Or shape of Earth divine and wondrous,
Or some fair shape I viewing, worship,
Or lustrous orb of sun or star by night,
Be ye my Gods.

Related Information

Books

Sheet Music

The Marc Blitzstein Songbook, Vol. 3

Buy via Boosey & Hawkes

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