A growing brain and then a soul,

Sure these are but prophetic germ

Of that which makes our circle whole.

John Albee.

From THE SONG OF MYSELF

I am an acme of things accomplish’d, and I am an encloser of things to be.

My feet strike an apex of the apices of the stairs:

On every step bunches of ages, and larger bunches between the steps,

All below duly travel’d, and still I mount and mount.

Rise after rise bow the phantoms behind me: