The Walt Whitman Archive
Published Works
Periodicals
About this Item
Title: With All the Gifts, America
Creator: Walt Whitman
Date: March 6, 1873
Whitman Archive ID: per.00128
Source: New York Daily Graphic 6 March 1873: 2. Our transcription is based on a digital image of a microfilm copy of an original issue. 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
 image 1 |
WITH ALL THE GIFTS, AMERICA.1
———
With all the gifts, America,
(Standing secure, rapidly tending, overlooking the
world,
world,
Power, wealth, extent, vouchsafed to thee—with
these, and like of these, vouchsafed to thee,
these, and like of these, vouchsafed to thee,
What, if one gift thou lack'st? (the ultimate human
problem never solving;)
problem never solving;)
The gift of perfect women fit for thee? What if that
gift of gifts thou lack'st?
gift of gifts thou lack'st?
The perfect feminine of thee? The beauty, health,
completion fit for thee?
completion fit for thee?
The mothers fit for thee?
WALT WHITMAN.