Content:
These lines were probably drafted as part of the poem published as "The Mississippi at Midnight" on March 6, 1848, in the
New Orleans Daily Crescent
, though they were not included in the published version of the poem. A revised version of the poem, titled "Sailing the Mississippi at Midnight," was later included in
Specimen Days & Collect
(1882–1883). Whitman left for New Orleans in February, 1848, so this manuscript was written after that date. Draft lines on the back of this manuscript leaf (nyp.00736) also relate to the poem eventually titled "Sailing the Mississippi at Midnight."
Whitman Archive Title: Sailing Down the Mississippi at Midnight
Repository Title: Leaf mounted at left, via a hinge along the top edge of the manuscript, with one holograph manuscript written on a scrap of paper: Sailing down the Mississippi at Midnight
Content:
This is a partial draft of the poem published as "The Mississippi at Midnight" on March 6, 1848, in the
New Orleans Daily Crescent
. A revised version of the poem, titled "Sailing the Mississippi at Midnight," was later included in
Specimen Days & Collect
(1882–1883). Whitman left for New Orleans in February, 1848, so this manuscript was almost certainly written in that month. Draft lines on the back of this manuscript leaf (nyp.001066) also probably relate to the poem eventually titled "Sailing the Mississippi at Midnight."
