In From Blue Ontario's Shore, he writes:
"It is not the earth, it is not America who is so great,
It is I who am great or to be great, it is you up there or any one....
Underneath all, individuals,
I swear nothing is good to me now that ignores individuals,
The whole theory of the universe is directed unerringly to one single individual—namely to You....
I will confront these shows of the day and night,
I will know if I am to be less than they....
I will see if I have no meaning, while the houses and ships have meaning."