1
AT the last, tenderly,
From the walls of the powerful, fortress’d house,
From the clasp of the knitted locks—from the keep of the well-closed doors,
Let me be wafted.
2
Let me glide noiselessly forth;
With the key of softness unlock the locks—with a whisper,
Set ope the doors, O Soul!
3
Tenderly! be not impatient!
(Strong is your hold, O mortal flesh!
Strong is your hold, O love.)
I’m a yr 12 english student, and I came across this poem by Walt Whitman. I personally thought it is one of his finest pieces of work that I have read so. I prefer poems around this length than those that go on and on, because they’re so descriptive, yet so powerful at the same time. It’s a pity that Walt is not around today to write about society.
What I really liked about ‘The Last Invocation’ was how Walt ended the poem with such meaningful words (tenderly- be not impatient). He’s telling us that if we approach things gently and be patient things will come.