The Walt Whitman Archive
Published Works
Periodicals
About this Item
Title: The Commonplace
Creator: Walt Whitman
Date: March 1891
Whitman Archive ID: per.00020
Source: Munyon's Magazine 7.2 (March 1891): 117. Our transcription is based on a digital image of the original publication. For a description of the editorial rationale behind our treatment of the periodical poems, see our statement of editorial policy.
Contributors to digital file: Elizabeth Lorang, April Lambert, and Susan Belasco
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The Commonplace.
The Commonplace I sing;
How cheap is health! how cheap nobility!
Abstinense, not falsehood, gluttony, lust;
The open air, freedom, work ^ toils , toleration,
(Learn here the mainest lesson, America—
less from books—less from the schools,)
less from books—less from the schools,)
The day and night—the immortal earth
and waters,
and waters,
Your farm—your work, trade, occupation,
The democratic wisdom underneath, like
solid ground for all.
solid ground for all.
Walt Whitman