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Deliriate, thus prelude what is generated, offering these, offering myself, Bathing myself, bathing my
songs in Sex, Offspring of my loins.
poverties, wincings, and sulky retreats, Ah you foes that in conflict have overcome me, (For what is my
You toil of painful and choked articulations, you meannesses, You shallow tongue-talks at tables, (my
Ah think not you finally triumph, my real self has yet to come forth, It shall yet march forth o'ermastering
I am not accustomed thus to present my claim to acquaintanceship with writers.
I will believe this also, adding it to my "creed" the "I believes", of my religion which years ago I
I was certain my dear brother would not ask me to read a bad book.
That was my hour of triumph for my poet. For I had heard Mr.
If I were younger I would strive with all my to do something worthy of my worship of your genius, worthy
My Dearest Friend: Your welcome letter to hand.
Indeed all that sympathy and warm & true words of love & sorrow & highest admiration & esteem for my
Please give my love to your sister, and tell her that her good letter spoke the right words to me & that
Feb 16/81 My dearest friend, At last I am beginning to feel myself again after a four months spell of
I feel as if my usual good health has made me obtuse & unsympathetic towards the ailing.
It was very hard for us to be sundered during my illness—but was the right thing to do, she was so much
My letter seems all about myself but then I want you to know why I have been so long silent.
I send you a photo of my little grandson. Anne Gilchrist to Walt Whitman, 16 February 1881
reading it—suddenly remembered your birthday—that it was past & I had not written one word—not just put my
I was then (when I should have written—middle of May just preparing & starting on my journey to the north—first
I enjoyed everything—the being with Norah (who is like one of my own) & the dearest jolliest little man
wonderful colours & sweet odors of the sea—everything is best except the keenness of the wind which made my
MY DEAREST FRIEND: I have just been sauntering in our little but sunny garden which slopes to the South
My breath is so short I cannot walk, which is a privation.
I hope you received the little memoir of my husband all right.
WHILE my wife at my side lies slumbering, and the wars are over long, And my head on the pillow rests
night midnight passes, And through the stillness, through the dark, I hear, just hear, the breath of my
with eager calls and orders of officers, While from some distant part of the field the wind wafts to my
far or near, (rousing even in dreams a devilish exultation and all the old mad joy in the depths of my
galloping by or on a full run, With the patter of small arms, the warning s-s-t of the rifles, (these in 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 at thy portals also death, Entering thy sovereign, dim, illimitable grounds, To memories of my mother
In you whoe'er you are my book perusing, In I myself, in all the world, these currents flowing, All,
the West joyously sounding, Your tidings old, yet ever new and untranslatable, Infinitesimals out of my
life, and many a life, (For not my life and years alone I give—all, all I give,) These waifs from the
Fascinated, my eyes reverting from the south, dropt, to follow those slender windrows, Chaff, straw,
O baffled, balk'd, bent to the very earth, Oppress'd with myself that I have dared to open my mouth,
whose echoes recoil upon me I have not once had the least idea who or what I am, But that before all my
sight of the sea taking advantage of me to dart upon me and sting me, Because I have dared to open my
Me and mine, loose windrows, little corpses, Froth, snowy white, and bubbles, (See, from my dead lips
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
AS I ponder'd in silence, Returning upon my poems, considering, lingering long, A Phantom arose before
then I answered, I too haughty Shade also sing war, and a longer and greater one than any, Waged in my
Then my realities; What else is so real as mine?
States awhile, but I cannot tell whither or how long, Perhaps soon some day or night while I am singing my
AS they draw to a close, Of what underlies the precedent songs—of my aims in them, Of the seed I have
in them, Of joy, sweet joy, through many a year, in them, (For them, for them have I lived, in them 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
soldier's grave, comes the inscrip- tion inscription rude in Virginia's woods, Bold, cautious, true, and my
soldiers South or North, As I muse retrospective murmuring a chant in thought, The war resumes, again to my
Now sound no note O trumpeters, Not at the head of my cavalry parading on spirited horses, With sabres
drawn and glistening, and carbines by their thighs, (ah my brave horsemen!
My handsome tan-faced horsemen! what life, what joy and pride, With all the perils were yours.)
Perfume therefore my chant, O love, immortal love, Give me to bathe the memories of all dead soldiers
Beginning My Studies. BEGINNING MY STUDIES.
BEGINNING my studies the first step pleas'd me so much, The mere fact consciousness, these forms, the
BEHOLD this swarthy face, these gray eyes, This beard, the white wool unclipt upon my neck, My brown
salutes, When the fire-flashing guns have fully alerted me, and heaven- clouds heaven-clouds canopy my
To us, my city, Where our tall-topt marble and iron beauties range on opposite sides, to walk in the
See my cantabile!
, I chant the world on my Western sea, I chant copious the islands beyond, thick as stars in the sky,
sail-ships and steam-ships threading the archipelagoes, My stars and stripes fluttering in the wind,
make the only growth by which I can be appreciated, I reject none, accept all, then reproduce all in my
What is this you bring my America? Is it uniform with my country?
Will it absorb into me as I absorb food, air, to appear again in my strength, gait, face?
rapt verse, my call, mock me not!
You by my charm I invoke.
the silence, Like a phantom far or near an occasional figure moving, The shrubs and trees, (as I lift my
Jany January 22 188 1 Walt Whitman Esq My Dear Sir: I take great pleasure acknowledging the receipt of
Why do you tremble and clutch my hand so convulsively?
Aye, this is the ground, My blind eyes even as I speak behold it re-peopled from graves, The years recede
That and here my General's first battle, No women looking on nor sunshine to bask in, it did not conclude
I saw him at the river-side, Down by the ferry lit by torches, hastening the embarcation; My General
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
words, mine only, Young and strong I pass knowing well I am destin'd 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
of reminiscences, brooding, with many wiles, (Though it was thought I was baffled and dispel'd, and my
side, warlike, equal with any, real as any, Nor time nor change shall ever change me or my words. 4
Jan 21 1881 Walt Whitman My dear Sir Permit me to thank you on behalf of the readers of the Review for
be able to afford to the readers of the Review frequent opportunity of being instructed by you I am my
BY the city dead-house by the gate, As idly sauntering wending my way from the clangor, I curious pause
Fair, fearful wreck—tenement of a soul—itself a soul, Unclaim'd, avoided house—take one breath from my
the streets, nor the bright windows with goods in them, Nor to converse with learn'd persons, or bear my
as I pass O Manhattan, your frequent and swift flash of eyes offering me love, Offering response to my
yours—yet peace no more, In peace I chanted peace, but now the drum of war is mine, War, red war is my
body to meet my lover the sea, I will not touch my flesh to the earth as to other flesh to renew me.
COURAGE yet, my brother or my sister!
Me ruthless and devilish as any, that my wrists are not chain'd with iron, or my ankles with iron?
WHO LEARNS MY LESSON COMPLETE? WHO learns my lesson complete?
MY PICTURE-GALLERY.
COME my tan-faced children, Follow well in order, get your weapons ready, Have you your pistols?
O my breast aches with tender love for all!
Whoever you are, now I place my hand upon you, that you be my poem, I whisper with my lips close to your
I call to the world to distrust the accounts of my friends, but listen to my enemies, as I myself do,
name, the Past, And in the name of these States and in your and my name, the Present time.
LOVER divine and perfect Comrade, Waiting content, invisible yet, but certain, Be thou my God.
O Death, (for Life has served its turn,) Opener and usher to the heavenly mansion, Be thou my God.
All great ideas, the races' aspirations, All heroisms, deeds of rapt enthusiasts, Be ye my Gods.
arm and half enclose with my hand, That containing the start of each and all, the virtue, the germs
SKIRTING the river road, (my forenoon walk, my rest,) Skyward in air a sudden muffled sound, the dalliance
SCENTED HERBAGE OF MY BREAST.
O blossoms of my blood!
EARTH, MY LIKENESS.
WHAT THINK YOU I TAKE MY PEN IN HAND? WHAT think you I take my pen in hand to record?
THAT SHADOW MY LIKENESS.
What do my shouts amid lightnings and raging winds mean?)
To rise thither with my inebriate soul! To be lost if it must be so!
songs in Sex, Offspring of my loins.
was still ringing little bells last night under my ear.
voice, approach, Touch me, touch the palm of your hand to my body as I pass, Be not afraid of my body
with bends and chutes, And my Illinois fields, and my Kansas fields, and my fields of Missouri, The
My limbs, my veins dilate, my theme is clear at last, Banner so broad advancing out of the night, I sing
VIGIL strange I kept on the field one night; When you my son and my comrade dropt at my side that day
WHILE my wife at my side lies slumbering, and the wars are over long, And my head on the pillow rests
Ah my silvery beauty—ah my woolly white and crimson! Ah to sing the song of you, my matron mighty!
my special word to thee. Hear me illustrious!
lengthen- ing lengthening shadows, Prepare my starry nights.
my city! ALL IS TRUTH.
WEAVE IN, MY HARDY LIFE.
Then my realities; What else is so real as mine?
AS I ponder'd in silence, Returning upon my poems, considering, lingering long, A Phantom arose before
Bear forth to them folded my love, (dear mariners, for you I fold it here in every leaf;) Speed on my
And so will some one when I am dead and gone write my life?
my real life, Only a few hints, a few diffused faint clews and indirections I seek for my own use to
BEGINNING MY STUDIES.
O CAPTAIN! MY CAPTAIN! O CAPTAIN! my Captain!
O the bleeding drops of red, Where on the deck my Captain lies, Fallen cold and dead. O Captain!
my Captain!
My Captain does not answer, his lips are pale and still, My father does not feel my arm, he has no pulse
But I with mournful tread, Walk the deck my Captain lies, Fallen cold and dead.
do I not see my love fluttering out among the breakers?
Loud I call to you, my love!
who I am, my love.
Hither my love! Here I am! here!
But my mate no more, no more with me! We two together no more.
Open mouth of my soul uttering gladness, Eyes of my soul seeing perfection, Natural life of me faithfully
MY LEGACY.
, And you trees down in your roots to bequeath to all future trees, My dead absorb or South or North—my
I remember I said before my leaves sprang at all, I would raise my voice jocund and strong with reference
I have offer'd my style to every one, I have journey'd with confi- dent confident step; While my pleasure
dear brothers' and sisters' sake, for the soul's sake, Wending my way through the homes of men, rich
words, mine only, Young and strong I pass knowing well I am destin'd 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
side, warlike, equal with any, real as any, Nor time nor change shall ever change me or my words. 4
Softly I lay my right hand upon you, you just feel it, I do not argue, I bend my head close and half
26Come, said my Soul… Proof with signature.loc.00183xxx.00596Come, Said My Soul1881poetryhandwritten1
On verso reads "Copyright 1881, By Walt Whitman, All rights reserved" Come, Said My Soul
than you suppose, And you that shall cross from shore to shore years hence are more to me, and more in my
forever held in solution, I too had receiv'd identity by my body, That I was I knew was of my body,
What is more subtle than this which ties me to the woman or man that looks in my face?
Which fuses me into you now, and pours my meaning into you? We understand then do we not?
loudly and musically call me by my nighest name! Live, old life!
SKIRTING the river road, (my forenoon walk, my rest,) Skyward in air a sudden muffled sound, the dalliance
Covering all my lands—all my seashores lining! Flag of death!
Ah my silvery beauty—ah my woolly white and crimson! Ah to sing the song of you, my matron mighty!
My sacred one, my mother.
O my soldiers twain! O my veterans passing to burial! What I have I also give you.
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.
Earth, My Likeness. EARTH, MY LIKENESS.
EARTH, my likeness, Though you look so impassive, ample and spheric there, I now suspect that is not
Now my lectures are over I am spending the summer helping in the garden and any odd jobs about the place—and
—I can't keep my fingers off it—but still that takes only a small fraction of the week & leaves plenty
These friends that I have here and my more natural open air life seem to have made a difference to me