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leaf 1 recto

[Behold America]

Behold America, the sights
        thou lovest
The w thy endless
        workshops see
 
———
All tThese are thine —not for themselves alone
All tThese all these are thine—all
        thine
All tending to a great
        Nationality
A great individual

Date
This manuscript was likely written in 1871 after Whitman accepted the invitation from the American Institute to compose and recite a poem at the opening of its fortieth Annual Exhibition in New York City. Whitman read the poem on September 7, 1871, and it was published soon after that in several newspapers and in a small book.
Editorial note

This manuscript contains notes toward a poem first published as "After All, Not to Create Only" in 1871. The poem was ultimately titled "Song of the Exposition." This manuscript relates to section 8 in the final version of the poem.

The verso of the manuscript leaf is blank.

Location
After All Not to Create Only  |  The Charles E. Feinberg Collection of the Papers of Walt Whitman, Library of Congress, Washington, DC.