The Walt Whitman Archive
Published Works
Periodicals
About this Item
Title: A Kiss to the Bride
Creator: Walt Whitman
Date: May 21, 1873
Whitman Archive ID: per.00134
Source: New York Daily Graphic 21 May 1874: 608. 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
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A KISS TO THE BRIDE.
———
Sacred, blithesome, undenied,
With benisons from East and West,
And salutations North and South,
Through me indeed to-day a million hearts and
hands,
hands,
Wafting a million loves, a million soul-felt prayers;
—Tender and true remain the arm that shields thee
Fair winds always fill the ship's sails that sail thee!
Clear sun by day, and bright stars at night, beam on
thee!
thee!
Dear girl—through me the ancient privilege too,
For the New World, through me, the old, old wed-
ding greeting:
ding greeting:
O youth and health! O sweet Missouri rose! O
bonny bride!
bonny bride!
Yield thy red cheeks, thy lips, to-day,
Unto a Nation's loving kiss.
WALT WHITMAN.