Search Results

original "Inscription" to the 1867 edition, ultimately appearing under the title "Small the Theme of My

first several lines of "Pictures" (not including these lines) were eventually revised and published as "My

first several lines of "Pictures" (not including these lines) were eventually revised and published as "My

The first several lines of "Pictures" (not including this line) were revised and published as "My Picture-Gallery

In a the garden, the world, I, a new Adam, again wander, Curious, here behold my resurrection after ages

is wondrous—I am myself most wondrous, The All is I have con I exist, I peer and penetrate still, By my

Have I hasten to inform you it is just as good to die, and I know it; I know it For I take my death with

the dying, And my birth with the new-washed babe Whitman probably drafted this manuscript in the early

pass death with the dying, and birth with the new-washed babe . . . . and am not contained between my

These words are for the five or six grand poets, too; and the masters of artists: — I waste no ink, nor my

receive you, and attach and clasp hands with you, / The facts are useful and real . . . . they are not my

.— what my touch wanted any thing whatever I wanted.— Surely I am out of my head!

I am lost to myself and someth something else Nature in another form has laid down in my place.

4 To me I subject all the teachings of the schools, and all dicta and authority, to my the tests of myself

And myself,—and I encourage you to subject the same to the tests of yourself—and to subject me and my

night walkers And do no better for me— Who am a regular gentlemen or lady, With a marble broad stoop to my

And is the day here when I vote at the polls, One with the immigrant that last August strewed lime in my

Bibles i are divine revelations of God But I know say that any each leaf of grass and every hair of my

compiled composed is not august enough to dent endow answer tally a leaf of grass the partition of in my

. / I intend to reach them my hand and make as much of them as I do of men and women" (1855, p. 64).;

I entertain all the aches of the human heart Outside the asteroids I reconnoitre at my ease.

Compare these lines from that edition: "I lean and loafe at my ease . . . . observing a spear of summer

and legislatures—but presently I expect to see myself in magazines, schools, and legislatures—or that my

The Great Laws do not" also includes draft lines that appeared in the poem later titled "Who Learns My

am that foolish half grown angry boy, fallen asleep, The tears of foolish passion yet undried upon my

19 I am become the poet of babes and the little things I descend many steps—I go backward primeval My

equanimous arms feet 209 I surround retrace things steps oceanic—I pass to around not merely my own

. / My feet strike an apex of the apices of the stairs, / On every step bunches of ages, and larger bunches

The retrospective extasy ecstasy is upon me— I am now my soul —spirit burns volcanic The earth recedes

ashamed before my prophetical crisis.— Whitman probably drafted this manuscript in the early 1850s as

similar to the following line in the poem eventually titled "Song of Myself": "The dirt receding before my

—I lend you my own mouth tongue A black I dart ed like a snake from his mouth.— I My eyes are bloodshot

, they look down the river, A steamboat carries off paddles away my woman and children.— Around my neck

am T The His i ron necklace and the red sores of my shoulders I do not feel mind , h H opples and ball

ankles and tight cuffs at the wrists does must not detain me will go down the river, with the sight of my

bloodshot eyes, go in to the steamboat that paddles off wife woman and child A I do not stop with my

. / How he laughs when I look down the bend after the steamboat that carries away my woman"(1855, p.

eventually titled "Song of Myself": "The boatmen and clamdiggers arose early and stopped for me, / I tucked my

trowser-ends in my boots and went and had a good time."

and wicked" may relate to the following line, which occurs later in the same poem: "Ever myself and my

eventually titled "Song of Myself": "The boatmen and clamdiggers arose early and stopped for me, / I tucked my

trowser-ends in my boots and went and had a good time."

and wicked" may relate to the following line, which occurs later in the same poem: "Ever myself and my

trowser-ends in my boots and went and had a good time" (1855, p. 18).

and wicked" may relate to the following line, which occurs later in the same poem: "Ever myself and my

Hear my fife!—I am a recruiter Who Come, who will join my troop?

first several lines of "Pictures" (not including this line) were eventually revised and published as "My

Hear my fife

first several lines of "Pictures" (not including this line) were eventually revised and published as "My

of the poem (not including this line) were revised and published in The American in October 1880 as "My

Hannah Brush, (my grandmother Whitman) had only one brother, who died a young man—(the grave-stones from

when I visited the Asylum and they showed me their most smeared and slobbering idiot, Yet I knew for my

for my consolation, of the great laws that emptied and broke my my brother s Whitman probably drafted

.— wood-duck on my distan le around. purposes, nd white playing within me the tufted crown intentional

/ It seems to me more than all the print I have read in my life. / My tread scares the wood-drake and

wood-duck on my distant and daylong ramble, / They rise together, they slowly circle around. / . . .

the undulation of your one wave, its trick to me transfer W C ould you but breathe one breath upon my

drink, / But as soon as you sleep and renew yourself in sweet clothes I will certainly kiss you with my

.— I rate myself high—I receive no small sums; I must have my full price—whoever enjoys me.

I feel satisfied my visit will be worthy of me and of my Hosts and Favorites; I leave it to them how

appeared in two of the poems in that edition, eventually titled "A Song for Occupations" and "Who Learns My

appeared in two of the poems in that edition, eventually titled "A Song for Occupations" and "Who Learns My

in the eleventh poem of the first (1855) edition of Leaves of Grass, ultimately titled "Who Learns My

I will have my own whoever enjoys me, / I will be even with you, and you shall be even with me" (1855

series of lectures & readings &c. through different cities of the north, to supply myself with funds for my

series of lectures & readings &c. through different cities of the north, to supply myself with funds for my

do not procreate like men; all of them and all existing creeds grows not so much of God as I grow in my

moustache, And I am myself waiting my time to be a God; I think I h shall do as much good and be as

pure and prodigious, and do as much good as any; — And when my do, I am, do you suppose it will please

wriggles through the world mankind and hides under helmets and it is not beloved never loved or believed.— My

See in particular the lines: "The supernatural of no account . . . . myself waiting my time to be one

this manuscript may connect to the stanza of the poem eventually titled "Song of Myself" that begins "My

The Elder Brother of the soul—my soul.

Grass, ultimately titled "Song of Myself": "And I know that the spirit of God is the eldest brother of my

with me about God; I can yet just begin to comprehend nothing more wonderful than so tremendous as my

Do you ask me what are my own particular dangers and complaints—what is taken that belongs to me—I complain

See in particular the lines: "The supernatural of no account . . . . myself waiting my time to be one

Can my your sight behold them as with oysters eyes?

not smell— —I smell the your beautiful white roses— I kiss their soft your leafy lips—I reach slide my

Calamus 18. p 363 City of my walks and joys!

little you h You city : what do y you repay me for my daily walks joys Not these your crowded rows of

delicious athletic love fresh as nature's air and herbage— —offering me full repa respon ds se equal of my

my own, These repay me—Lovers, continual Lovers continu only repay me.— This manuscript is a draft of

City of my walks and joys

bribed to swap off with touch, and go and graze at the edges of me, / No consideration, no regard for my

draining strength or my anger" (1855, p. 33).; 22; Transcribed from digital images of the original.;

Counting the tally of the surf‑suggestions wordless utterance of these liquid tongues And To pass within my

utterance tale of subterranean toil and wrongs Unf For once Seems here C c onfided to me * To pass within my

smoke Some vast soul, like a planet's, bound, arrested, tied, Watching the distant, shadowy sails, the My

But when a voice in my our hearing excuses this Fugitive damned Act, because it binds no leg and breaks

three winters to be articulate child Whitman revised this poetic fragment and used it in "Who Learns My

Whitman revised this poetic fragment and used it in "Who Learns My Lesson Complete?

appeared in the 1855 edition of Leaves of Grass, in a poem that would eventually be entitled "Who Learns My

: "I know it is wonderful . . . . but my eyesight is equally wonderful . . . . and how I was conceived

in my mother's womb is equally wonderful, / And how I was not palpable once but am now . . . . and was

and the breast that ha fed his young , and so buys a nomination to great office; i I nforme d against my

brother and sister and got t ook aking pay for their blood, hearts; l L aughed when I looked from my

iron necklace, after the steamboat that carried away my woman.— Whitman probably drafted this manuscript

how he does defile me, / How he informs against my brother and sister and takes pay for their blood,

/ How he laughs when I look down the bend after the steamboat that carries away my woman" (1855, p. 74

am a Russ, An arctic sailor traversing I traverse the sea of Kara A Kamskatkan Kamchatkan drawn on my

not included in any subsequent editions of Leaves, Whitman did include it in the 1891 volume Good-Bye My

not included in any subsequent editions of Leaves, Whitman did include it in the 1891 volume Good-Bye My

not included in any subsequent editions of Leaves, Whitman did include it in the 1891 volume Good-Bye My

swear I will am can not to evade any part of myself, Not America, nor any attribute of America, Not my

body—not friendship, hospitality, procreation, Not my soul—not the last explanation of prudence, Not

sings as well as I, because although she reads no newspaper; never learned the gamut; And to shake my

The first lines of the notebook poem were revised and published as "My Picture-Gallery" in The American

am myself and nobody else, am the greatest traitor, I went myself first to the headland, — my own hands

I have lost my wits . . . .

I and nobody else am the greatest traitor, / I went myself first to the headland . . . . my own hands

Draft lines on the back of this manuscript leaf relate to the poem eventually titled "Who Learns My Lesson

Song of Myself": "Echos, ripples, and buzzed whispers . . . . loveroot, silkthread, crotch and vine, / My

respiration and inspiration . . . . the beating of my heart . . . . the passing of blood and air through

my lungs, / The sniff of green leaves and dry leaves, and of the shore and darkcolored sea- rocks, and

.; Draft lines on the back of this manuscript leaf relate to the poem eventually titled "Who Learns My

After the dazzle of Day After the dazzle of day is gone, Only the dark dark night shows to my eyes the

stars; After the clangor of organ majestic, or chorus, or perfect band, Silent, athwart my soul, moves

group of little children, and their ways and chatter, flow in, upon me Like welcome rippling water o'er my

levee in life,— After death Now when I am looked back upon, I will I hold levee, after death, I lean on my

left elbow—I take ten thousand lovers, one after another, by my right hand.— I have all lives, all effects

by my children? Are to be they really failures? are they sterile, incompetent yieldings after all?

Are they not indeed to be as victorious shouts from my children?