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if that were not the resumé; Of Histories—As if such, however complete, were not less complete than my

poems; As if the shreds, the records of nations, could possibly be as lasting as my poems; As if here

that was not the end of those nations, or any person of them, any more than this shall be the end of my

Thither every-day life, speech, utensils, politics, per- sons persons , estates, Thither we also, I with my

Debris 5 DESPAIRING cries float ceaselessly toward me, day and night, The sad voice of Death—the call of my

alarmed, uncertain, This sea I am quickly to sail, come tell me, Come tell me where I am speeding—tell me my

Receive me and my lover too—he will not let me go without him.

my clothes were stolen while I was abed, Now I am thrust forth, where shall I run?

I descend my western course, my sinews are flaccid, Perfume and youth course through me, and I am their

carefully darn my grandson's stockings.

How he informs against my brother and sister, and takes pay for their blood!

How perfect is my Soul! How perfect the earth, and the minutest thing upon it!

My Soul! if I realize you, I have satisfaction, Animals and vegetables!

I cannot define my satisfaction, yet it is so, I cannot define my life, yet it is so.

To My Soul TO MY SOUL.

The States—but I cannot tell whither or how long; Perhaps soon, some day or night while I am singing, my

Then all may arrive to but this; The glances of my eyes, that swept the daylight, The unspeakable love

I interchanged with women, My joys in the open air—my walks through the Man- nahatta Manahatta , The

of my mouth, rude, ignorant, arrogant— my many faults and derelictions, 38* The light touches, on my

I remember I said to myself at the winter-close, before my leaves sprang at all, that I would become

a candid and unloosed summer-poet, I said I would raise my voice jocund and strong, with reference to

what was promised, When each part is peopled with free people, When there is no city on earth to lead my

I have pressed through in my own right, I have offered my style to every one—I have jour- neyed journeyed

Remember my words—I love you—I depart from materials, I am as one disembodied, triumphant, dead.

The package came safe to hand on Friday, containing my 20 purchased L. of G. and 20 to give away at discretion

subject that offers itself—making a compact, the-whole-surrounding, National Poem , after its sort, after my

especially with the literary classes, to make it worth your while to give them a sight of me with all my

I reserve the use of the piece in any collection of my poems I may publish in future.

Should my name be printed in the programme of contributors at any time it must not be lower down than

House inform'd informed me that you accepted, and would publish, my "Bardic Symbols."

About the two lines: (See from my dead lips the ooze exuding at last!

Dear Brother, I have just finished a letter to mother, and while my hand is in, I will write you a line

I enclose in my letter to Mother, a note from Hyde —nothing at all in it, except that Han is well, and

, it seems to me, like relieving me of a great weight—or removing a great obstacle that has been in my

go-ahead fellows, and don't seem to have the least doubt they are bound to make a good spec. out of my

I am very well, and hold my own about as usual.

them to give me the copy to make some little corrections—which I did effectually by going straight to my

And how goes it with you, my dear? I watched the N.

allow themselves to be squeezed into the stereotype mould, and wear straight collars and hats, and say "my

could go dead head if I was to apply—Jeff, I feel as if things had taken a turn with me, at last—Give my

love to Mat, and all my dear brothers, especially Georgie.

As I know you would like to hear from me, my dear friend, I will not yet go to bed—but sit down to write

to you, that I have been here in Boston, to-day is a fortnight, and that my book is well under way.

I was going to put into the book—just took me to the stereotype foundry, and given orders to follow my

It will be out in a month—a great relief to me to have the thing off my mind.

I send my love to Helen and Emmy. Walt. Walt Whitman to Abby H. Price, 29 March 1860

giving others the same chances and rights as myself— As if it were not indis‑ indispensable pensable to my

—What seek you do you want among my haughty and jealous democracies of the north?

woman, or my flesh and blood.

—There are my officers and my courts.—At the Capitol is my Legislature.

—It is foreign to my usages, as to my eyes and ears.—Go back to the power that sent you.

free cities, or my teeming country towns, or along my rivers, or sea shore.— 19 But why do I babble

Isaac v Joseph Stephen & Jesse (my grandfather) sons of Nehemiah Whitman Phebe daughters Hannah Brush

See, for instance: "I take my place among you as much as among any," (1855, p. 48); "Nor do I understand

.; TThis manuscript bears some similarity in subject to the poem that became "Who Learns My Lesson Complete

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

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

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

meet and drawing their love in Never losing old friends, or new ones; and finding new on every day of 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

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

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

O my body, that gives me identity! O my organs !

Underfoot, the divine soil— Overhead, the sun.— Afford foothold to my poems, you Nourish my poems, Earth

In Poem The earth, that is my model of poems model ?

The body of a man, is my model—I do not reject what I find in my body—I am not ashamed—Why should I be

My Darling (Now I am maternal— a child bearer— bea have from my womb borne a child, and observe it For

O laugh when my eyes settle the land The imagery and phrasing of these lines bears some resemblance to

similarity to the following line in the poem eventually titled "I Sing the Body Electric": "As I see my

and dwells serenely behind it.— When out of a feast I eat bread only corn and roast potatoes fo for my

dinner, through my own voluntary choice it is very well and I much content, but if some arrogant head

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

first poem of the 1855 edition of Leaves of Grass , later called "Song of Myself": "I do not trouble my

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

just granting his request, with great commiseration, when an old lady from the gallery cries out "O my

last yawp, which (the review) you were frank enough to print in your last issue, emboldens me to speak my

Last Winter I got on skates, my first appearance before an icy audience for fifteen years.

U. is the poet of my concern, her suggestion to that effect was a strong point in favor of Mr.

s fondness for poetry doesn't at all interfere with the clearness of my café noir, the lightness of my

with my lordly prerogative.

—My wife sends her warm regards to you. She desires much to see you. W.W.T.

My dear little wife wants to write you a letter, and will when the domestic gods are propitious, so that

Cycles ferried my cradle, rowing and rowing like cheerful boatmen, For room to me stars kept aside in

All forces have been steadily employed to complete and delight me: Now I stand on this spot with my Soul

I do not know what I carry in my arms pressed close to my side and bosom!

I turn my steps to "Zion's Mill" a cemetery.

My womb is clean and pure. It is ready for thy child my love.

how lovingly will I cherish and guard it, our child my love. Thine the pleasure my love.

My motives are pure and holy. Our boy my love! Do you not already love him?

I rubbed my eyes a little to see if this sunbeam were no illusion; but the solid sense of the book is

I wish to see my benefactor, and have felt much like striking my tasks and visiting New York to pay you

my respects.

Friend Walter— I design bearly to say How do you do, while you are in Boston, & to express my own pleasure

I know what is your mental fare in Boston from my own past personal experience and without wishing to

intrude myself above my true level I could wish I were, at least, a stander-by.

How shall I rise to life (action), is, now, my all pressing & all urgent question.

Accept my affectionate regards. O. K. Sammis To Walt Whitman. O. K.

Walter it is so strange you hav e not got my letter I sent one last friday Friday morning and should

and have had all you have sent and come very acceptable I had got down to 10 cents you must have got my

told him I had hired so much of the house out he would have to hire his board write Walt if you got my

institutionalizing Jesse because, according to her December 25, 1863 letter, she "could not find it in my

But I take back my promise. For if you are not sane what will writing avail?

It is a waste of breath for my friend to tell me I am healthy when my pulse records the circumstance

Bent to the very earth, here preceding what follows, Terrified with myself that I have dared to open my

whose echoes recoil upon me, I have not once had the least idea who or what I am, But that before all my

And I would that my tongue could utter The thoughts that arise in me!

Monday May 14, '60 My dear Walt : I spent much time yesterday reading your poems, and am more charmed

I want to do great things for you with the book, and as soon as I get over my immediate troubles will

My dear Walt, The books are duly delivered.

Meanwhile I am up to my eyes—and over my eyes even to blindness—in the slough of a fearful road to that

plainer English I am fighting like a thousand Humans to establish the Saturday Press, and have for my

My brother George will deliver this. He is of the right stamp. In haste Henry Clapp.

Saturday Press, New York, Mch March 27 18 60 My dear Walt: I am so busy that I hardly have time to breathe

This must explain my not answering yr your letter promptly.

I could if necessary give my note at three mos for the amount and it is a good note since we have never

to whom I am an entire stranger will do anything of the kind: but in suggesting it, I have done only my

My excuse for writing to you is, that it is a matter of the utmost importance to a client of mine.

New York March 21st Your letter in answer to my note came to hand this a.m.

Chelsea Ferry, & enquire for, Charley Hollis, or Ed Morgan mention my name, and introduce yourself as

my friend.— I am obliged to you for your kind offer of sending me a few of the sheets in advance of

I am now back again in my old position at 168 Broadway, behind the desk. —So please address me here.

New York April 30th 18 60 Walt, I was very glad indeed to hear from you in answer to my last, and you

to find your business was progressing so favorably, — In accordance with not only your wishes, but my

—But of course my letter to you was not mailed, and now I have once more to reply to yours.— I am glad

kind and attentive to you, I assure you I did not think much of his bad delivery , but on the contrary my

O truth of things, I am determined to press my way toward you; Sound your voice!

I exclude you; Not till the waters refuse to glisten for you, and the leaves to rustle for you, do my

I know perfectly well my own egotism. . . .

I will put in my poems, that with you is heroism, upon land and sea. . . .

On my way a moment I pause, Here for you! And here for America!

of my own, And that all the men ever born are also my brothers, and the women my sisters and lovers,

Earth of the limpid gray of clouds, brighter and clear- er clearer for my sake!

My Dear Walt Through the stupidity of Lewis I did not receive the dispatch until late in the afternoon

I went directly to my frame makers, the frame will be done to-morrow, (it is a beauty) and if you wish

It is my wish it should be seen in Boston. Let me know how you propose to introduce it.