In Whitman's Hand

Manuscripts

About this Item

Title: Where the little musk ox

Creator: Walt Whitman

Date: Between 1850 and 1855

Whitman Archive ID: uva.00261

Source: Papers of Walt Whitman (MSS 3829), Clifton Waller Barrett Library of American Literature, Albert H. Small Special Collections Library, University of Virginia. Transcribed from digital images of the original. For a description of the editorial rationale behind our treatment of manuscripts, see our statement of editorial policy.

Editorial note: Whitman probably drafted this manuscript in the early 1850s as he was composing the first (1855) edition of Leaves of Grass. A line from the manuscript appears in the first poem of that edition, eventually titled "Song of Myself."

Related item: Lines on the back of this manuscript leaf also relate to the poem eventually titled "Song of Myself." See uva.00262.

Notes written on manuscript: On leaf 1 recto, in unknown hand: "12"

Contributors to digital file: Caitlin Henry, Nicole Gray, Leslie Ianno, and Stephanie Blalock



[begin leaf 1 recto] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Page image: https://whitmanarchive.org/manuscripts/figures/uva.00261.001.jpg]

Where the little musk ox carries his
perfumed bag at his navel;

Where the life car is drawn on its slip‑noose

At dinner on a dish of huckleberries, or rye bread
and a round white pot cheese:

[cut away]

[begin leaf 1 verso] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Page image: https://whitmanarchive.org/manuscripts/figures/uva.00262.001.jpg]




Comments?

Published Works | In Whitman's Hand | Life & Letters | Commentary | Resources | Pictures & Sound

Support the Archive | About the Archive

Distributed under a Creative Commons License. Matt Cohen, Ed Folsom, & Kenneth M. Price, editors.