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My dear Walt. Your welcome letter was duly received for which accept many thanks.

The tax on my part the last year was quite as much as I received— Well, what we want is to have them

It being my first efforts at publishing, I would make extraordinary efforts to have an extensive sale

One of my reasons for securing your friendship is my appreciation for you as a man, well knowing your

I shall take the liberty of enclosing a card as soon as my arrangement for location is completed.

Grose's membership in the Surrey regiment earned him the title of captain in 1766, which he adopted as

Deliriate, thus prelude what is generated, offering these, offering myself, Bathing myself, bathing my

songs in Sex, Offspring of my loins.

(For what is my life, or any man's life, but a conflict with foes—the old, the incessant war?)

painful and choked articulations—you mean- nesses meannesses ; You shallow tongue-talks at tables, (my

You broken resolutions, you racking angers, you smother'd ennuis; Ah, think not you finally triumph—My

New Orleans, San Francisco, The departing ships, when the sailors heave at the capstan; Evening—me in my

room—the setting sun, The setting summer sun shining in my open window, showing the swarm of flies,

, futurity, In space, the sporades, the scattered islands, the stars —on the firm earth, the lands, my

less in myself than the whole of the Manna- hatta Mannahatta in itself, Singing the song of These, my

my lands are inevitably united, and made ONE IDENTITY; Nativities, climates, the grass of the great

I meant that you should discover me so, by my faint indirections; And I, when I meet you, mean to discover

Bowling Green Febry February 24th 1867 My Dear Friend I was thinking to day today whether I had answered

good berth in Tennessee but being of a modest disposition of course I cannot call his attention to my

early in the morning, Walking forth from the bower, refresh'd with sleep; Behold me where I pass—hear my

voice—approach, Touch me—touch the palm of your hand to my Body as I pass; Be not afraid of my Body.

As I Lay With My Head in Your Lap, Camerado AS I LAY WITH MY HEAD IN YOUR LAP, CAMERADO.

AS I lay with my head in your lap, camerado, The confession I made I resume—what I said to you and the

open air I resume: I know I am restless, and make others so; I know my words are weapons, full of danger

For that we live, my brethren—that is the mission of Poets.

Have you studied out my land, its idioms and men?

What is this you bring my America? Is it uniform with my country?

rapt song, my charm—mock me not!

You, by my charm, I invoke!

Then my realities; What else is so real as mine?

done and gone, we remain; There is no final reliance but upon us; Democracy rests finally upon us, (I, my

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

AS TOILSOME I wander'd Virginia's woods, To the music of rustling leaves, kick'd by my feet, (for 'twas

this sign left, On a tablet scrawl'd and nail'd on the tree by the grave, Bold, cautious, true, and my

Long, long I muse, then on my way go wandering; Many a changeful season to follow, and many a scene of

the unknown soldier's grave—comes the inscription rude in Virginia's woods, Bold, cautious, true, and my

Beginning My Studies BEGINNING MY STUDIES.

BEGINNING my studies, the first step pleas'd me so much, The mere fact, consciousness—these forms—the

pleas'd me so much, I have never gone, and never wish'd to go, any farther, But stop and loiter all my

BEHOLD this swarthy face, this unrefined face—these gray eyes, This beard—the white wool, unclipt upon my

neck, My brown hands, and the silent manner of me, with- out without charm; Yet comes one, a Manhattanese

received the letter I wrote in answer to yours of date "a long time ago" ( very definite ) in reply to my

I have an impression that I can give a reason why you did not answer my last though I perhaps do you

My dear Heaven waitheth waiteth for mortals when earth is departed.

15 th Sunday 18 67 Dear Friend Walt Whitman I know that you will not think I have forgotten you by my

long silence for I have been waiting patiently for more than four months for an answer to my last letter

I spent a week in New York City in June, my Wife was taken sick there while visiting her Sister and they

I am a married man but I am not happy for my disposition is not right.

21, 1867, Wilson acknowledged Whitman's reply of April 12, 1867: "I do not want you to misunderstand my

motives in writing to you of my Situation & feelings as I did in my last letter or else I shall have

to be more guarded in my letters to you.

I wrote so because you wanted me to write how I was situated, and give you my mind without reserve, and

Walt Whitman, I was very much pleased a few days ago to receive your prompt answer of April 12 th to my

I recd received a letter from my wife about the middle of last week she had arrived safely and was enjoying

I do not want you to misunderstand my motives in writing to you of my Situation & feelings as I did in

my last letter or else I shall have to be mor more guarded in my letters to you.

I wrote so because you wanted me to write how I was situated, and give you my mind without reserve, and

I am a married man but I am not happy for my disposition is not right.

21, 1867, Wilson acknowledged Whitman's reply of April 12, 1867: "I do not want you to misunderstand my

motives in writing to you of my Situation & feelings as I did in my last letter or else I shall have

to be more guarded in my letters to you.

I wrote so because you wanted me to write how I was situated, and give you my mind without reserve, and

But my kind Old Friend you must not think that because I wrote to you and mentioned it, that I wish you

myself in debt six hundred dollars and finally came to the conclusion that it was time I closed up my

business, so I did so about the first of July last, and am now at work at my trade in a Piano Forte

& Melodeon Manufactory and find that it pays me better than business on my own book.

Now I think I have given you a good statement of my situation and hope it will be to your satisfaction

I am a married man but I am not happy for my disposition is not right.

21, 1867, Wilson acknowledged Whitman's reply of April 12, 1867: "I do not want you to misunderstand my

motives in writing to you of my Situation & feelings as I did in my last letter or else I shall have

to be more guarded in my letters to you.

I wrote so because you wanted me to write how I was situated, and give you my mind without reserve, and

night, and will not lose any time in answering it this time, but I do not know as you will approve of my

writing on Sundays, but that is about the only time I have for writing except evenings and then my hands

tremble so from my work (which is nearly all done by the hands) that I can scarcely write inteligibly

deserve his love as well as that of thousands of others myself included, and I wish you to give him my

I am a married man but I am not happy for my disposition is not right.

21, 1867, Wilson acknowledged Whitman's reply of April 12, 1867: "I do not want you to misunderstand my

motives in writing to you of my Situation & feelings as I did in my last letter or else I shall have

to be more guarded in my letters to you.

I wrote so because you wanted me to write how I was situated, and give you my mind without reserve, and

Syracuse April 7th/67 Dear Friend & Comrade I can not make any other excuse for my delay in answering

thought would interest you, and I do not know as it will now for I have not much to write of except my

My Wife started for New York City last friday night to be gone several weeks. she is to be with her Sister

I am a married man but I am not happy for my disposition is not right.

and to talk about, but I fear I shall weary you with such a letter as this so I will close it with my

I am a married man but I am not happy for my disposition is not right.

21, 1867, Wilson acknowledged Whitman's reply of April 12, 1867: "I do not want you to misunderstand my

motives in writing to you of my Situation & feelings as I did in my last letter or else I shall have

to be more guarded in my letters to you.

I wrote so because you wanted me to write how I was situated, and give you my mind without reserve, and

love, spit their salutes; When the fire-flashing guns have fully alerted me— when heaven-clouds canopy my

See, my cantabile!

For I too, raising my voice, join the ranks of this pageant; I am the chanter—I chant aloud over the

pageant; I chant the world on my Western Sea; I chant, copious, the islands beyond, thick as stars in

chant, projected, a thousand blooming cities yet, in time, on those groups of sea-islands; I chant my

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. 11 It comes to

fire—the silence; Like a phantom far or near an occasional figure moving; The shrubs and trees, (as I left my

Why do you tremble, and clutch my hand so convul- sively convulsively ?

Aye, this is the ground; My blind eyes, even as I speak, behold it re-peopled from graves: The years

night of that, mist lifting, rain ceasing, Silent as a ghost, while they thought they were sure of him, my

him at the river-side, Down by the ferry, lit by torches, hastening the embar- cation embarcation ; My

But when my General pass'd me, As he stood in his boat, and look'd toward the coming sun, I saw something

dear brothers' and sisters' sake—for the soul's sake; Wending my way through the homes of men, rich

children—with fresh and sane words, mine only; Young and strong I pass, knowing well I am destin'd my

- self myself to an early death: But my Charity has no death—my Wisdom dies not, neither early nor late

, And my sweet Love, bequeath'd here and elsewhere, never dies. 3 Aloof, dissatisfied, plotting revolt

side, warlike, equal with any, real as any, Nor time, nor change, shall ever change me or my words.

—I am yet young but have had more experience for my age than many Desiring to thoroughly understand the

work I have undertaken I make these inquiries—My dearest wish is like Burns'— "That I for poor Columbia's

To state the latest: this morning (Sunday) I got up and prepared my own breakfast as usual (and after

having went over my garden (until 10 o'clock, I quietly took a chair and sat down to enjoy a perusal

I threw down the paper indignantly, and seizing my boots and coat retired to the kitchen, and shut the

But I was pursued there, and could not escape without forcing my way; but I came out of the encounter

with the back of my right hand so badly lacerated by her nails, that I am compelled to bandage it.

. ; my personal washing amounts to just 4 pieces a week, with a pair of stocking and two or three handkerchiefs

She is too thoroughly selfish—There has been a proposition also for my absence—a few short months, run

down my place more than I would like to recover—So I shall rent the house—It is but a shelter since,

I was sick; she deliberately turned the key on me, and I had to stay at my room all night—comment is

my own rhymes—being assisted in this (perhaps unwise move) by my friends.

May I send you a copy of my book in June?—when it will be safely out. D. V.

MY FRIEND I have a friend who is so true to me, We may not parted be.

away; He is my perfect day.

Thou art indeed my friend while ages roll, O! thou my deathless soul. C. W. S. AT ANCHOR.

BY the City Dead-House, by the gate, As idly sauntering, wending my way from the clangor, I curious pause—for

take one breath from my tremulous lips; Take one tear, dropt aside as I go, for thought of you, Dead

nor the bright win- dows windows , with goods in them; Nor to converse with learn'd persons, or bear my

your fre- quent frequent and swift flash of eyes offering me love, Offering response to my own—these

yours—yet peace no more; In peace I chanted peace, but now the drum of war is mine; War, red war, is my

SCENTED HERBAGE OF MY BREAST.

O blossoms of my blood!

WHAT THINK YOU I TAKE MY PEN IN HAND? WHAT think you I take my pen in hand to record?

MY LIKENESS! EARTH! my likeness!

THAT SHADOW, MY LIKENESS.

What do my shouts amid lightnings and raging winds mean?)

Give me the drench of my passions! Give me life coarse and rank!

self myself from my companions?

songs in Sex, Offspring of my loins.

voice—approach, Touch me—touch the palm of your hand to my Body as I pass; Be not afraid of my Body.

I call to the world to distrust the accounts of my friends, but listen to my enemies—as I myself do;

WHO learns my lesson complete?

as every one is immortal; I know it is wonderful—but my eye-sight is equally wonderful, and how I was

And that my Soul embraces you this hour, and we affect each other without ever seeing each other, and

Whoever you are, now I place my hand upon you, that you be my poem; I whisper with my lips close to your

O lips of my soul, already becoming powerless! O ample and grand Presidentiads! New history!

(I must not venture—the ground under my feet men- aces menaces me—it will not support me;) O present!

only out of the inimitable poem of the wo- man woman , can come the poems of man—(only thence have my

arrive, or pass'd on farther than those of the earth, I henceforth no more ignore them, than I ignore my

good as such-like, visible here or anywhere, stand provided for in a handful of space, which I extend my

arm and half enclose with my hand; That contains the start of each and all—the virtue, the germs of

WHAT am I, after all, but a child, pleased with the sound of my own name?

it harm'd me, giving others the same chances and rights as myself—As if it were not indispensable to my

AS I sit with others, at a great feast, suddenly, while the music is playing, To my mind, (whence it

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

sake, Of departing—of the growth of a mightier race than any yet, Of myself, soon, perhaps, closing up my

walks home late at night, or as I lay in my bed, they came upon me.

; That I was, I knew was of my body—and what I should be, I knew I should be of my body.

, My river and sun-set, and my scallop-edg'd waves of flood-tide, The sea-gulls oscillating their bodies

face, Which fuses me into you now, and pours my meaning into you.

loudly and musically call me by my nighest name! Live, old life!

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

alarm'd, uncertain, The Sea I am quickly to sail, come tell me, Come tell me where I am speeding—tell me my

—therefore leave my works, And go lull yourself with what you can understand; For I lull nobody—and you

O my soldiers twain! O my veterans, passing to burial!

have I also give you. 9 The moon gives you light, And the bugles and the drums give you music; And my

heart, O my soldiers, my veterans, My heart gives you love.

O maidens and young men I love, and that love me, What you ask of my days, those the strangest and sud

Bearing the bandages, water and sponge, Straight and swift to my wounded I go, Where they lie on the

knee, the wound in the abdo- men abdomen , These and more I dress with impassive hand—(yet deep in my

Thus in silence, in dream's projections, Returning, resuming, I thread my way through the hos- pitals

FIRST, O songs, for a prelude, Lightly strike on the stretch'd tympanum, pride and joy in my city, How

O Manhattan, my own, my peerless! O strongest you in the hour of danger, in crisis!

Forty years had I in my city seen soldiers parading; Forty years as a pageant—till unawares, the Lady

My Likeness! EARTH! MY LIKENESS! EARTH! my likeness!

- ward southward , Alone, held by this eternal self of me, out of the pride of which I have utter'd my

Fascinated, my eyes, reverting from the south, drop't, to follow those slender winrows, Chaff, straw,

I take what is underfoot; What is yours is mine, my father.

I throw myself upon your breast, my father, I cling to you so that you cannot unloose me, I hold you

from my dead lips the ooze exuding at last! See—the prismatic colors, glistening and rolling!)