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of Grass Whitman's copy of the 1855 , into which he inserted a series of prose manuscripts, is now part

just one leaf and are apparently attached to other manuscript leaves rather than to printed pages; 2)

Rare Book Division, The New York Public Library, The New York Public Library Digital Collections . 1 | 2

On the cover, below the title, Whitman has written, "2'd & fullest version of original Edition / 1855

mounted" at 18 cents each December 1855: 169 copies in cloth at 22 cents each and 150 copies in paper at 2

Bibliography of American Literature , Vol. 9 (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1991), 31–2.

"Walt Whitman." , Vol. 9 (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1991), 31–2.

Wednesday, May 2, 1888 " (1:92).

there" (57; see also Stern, 101–2 and 107).

For further discussion of this story, see Blodgett, , 14–18.

WHITMAN'S POEMS, 'LEAVES OF GRASS,' 1 vol. small quarto, $2.

tell the full story of the evolution and iteration of the 1855 .

advertisement reads as follows: "Walt Whitman's Poems, 'Leaves of Grass,' 1 vol. small quarto: price $2.

poem later titled "Song of Myself" between pages twenty and twenty-four of (1855), especially the parts

Whitman's use of part of these advertisements as units of text that he could edit, move, and rearrange

kind of precursor to the way he would approach lines of poetry, continually editing and relocating parts

On November 17, 1842, the New York Sun published Whitman's short story "The Reformed" and prefaced the

"I believe in the flesh and the appetites, Seeing hearing and feeling are miracles, and each part and

Doubtless in the scheme this man has built for himself the writing of poems is but a proportionate part

The perfect poet cannot afford any special beauty of parts, or to limit himself by any laws less than

listener or beholder, to re-appear through him or her; and it offers the best way of making them a part

They, for their part, can not extract poetry from a red nose; but they are in raptures with Milton.

I take part . . . .

 . . . . any thing is but a part.

does not counteract another part . . . .

all became part of him.

Sure as life holds all parts together, death holds all parts together; Sure as the stars return again

is but a part.

2. TEARS! tears! tears!

2.

THE CENTENARIAN'S STORY.

SONGS BEFORE PARTING. CONTENTS.

I take part . . . .

 . . . . any thing is but a part.

does not counteract another part . . . .

all became part of him.

Sure as life holds all parts together, death holds all parts together; Sure as the stars return again

convening of Congress every December, the members duly coming up from all climates and the uttermost parts

is the reason that about the proper expression of beauty there is precision and balance . . . one part

He is most wonderful in his last half-hidden smile or frown . . . by that flash of the moment of parting

escape . . . . or rather when all life and all the souls of men and women are discharged from any part

of the earth—then only shall the instinct of liberty be discharged from that part of the earth.

I believe in the flesh and the appetites, Seeing hearing and feeling are miracles, and each part and

The sentries desert every other part of me, They have left me helpless to a red marauder, They all come

Parting tracked by arriving . . . . perpetual payment of the perpetual loan, Rich showering rain, and

I take part . . . .

 . . . . any thing is but a part.

. that every thing was real and alive; To think that you and I did not see feel think nor bear our part

, To think that we are now here and bear our part.

He was a goodfellow, Freemouthed, quicktempered, not badlooking, able to take his own part, Witty, sensitive

loves unre- quited unrequited , the moneymaker, The actor and actress . . those through with their parts

thank you for liking me as I am, and liking the touch of me—I know that it is good for you to do so. 2

fit to own things could not at pleasure enter upon all, and incorporate them into himself or herself. 2

money-maker that plotted all day sleeps, And the enraged and treacherous dispositions—all, all sleep. 2

that loves unrequited, the money- maker money-maker , The actor and actress, those through with their parts

the best poems re-appears the body, man's or wo- man's woman's , well-shaped, natural, gay, Every part

able, active, receptive, without shame or the need of shame. 2 Air, soil, water, fire—these are words

hovering-above, around, or in the ranks marching; But I will sing you a song of what I behold, Libertad. 2

SUGGESTIONS. 1 THAT whatever tastes sweet to the most perfect person —That is finally right. 2 That the

expressive, That anguish as hot as the hottest, and contempt as cold as the coldest, may be without words. 2

is Life, real and mystical, wherever and who- ever whoever ; Great is Death—sure as life holds all parts

together, Death holds all parts together.

forth every day; And the first object he look'd upon, that object he became; And that object became part

of him for the day, or a certain part of the day, or for many years, or stretching cycles of years.

The early lilacs became part of this child, And grass, and white and red morning-glories, and white and

The field-sprouts of Fourth-month and Fifth-month became part of him; Winter-grain sprouts, and those

, They gave this child more of themselves than that; They gave him afterward every day—they became part

war, (that shall serve for our pre- lude prelude , songs of soldiers,) How Manhattan drum-taps led. 2

flung out from the steeples of churches, and from all the public buildings and stores; The tearful parting—the

mother kisses her son—the son kisses his mother; (Loth is the mother to part—yet not a word does she

his field or gathering his grain; So fierce you whirr and pound, you drums—so shrill you bugles blow. 2

globe uprisen around me; Yet there with my soul I fed—I fed content, super- cilious supercilious . 2

The Centenarian's Story. THE CENTENARIAN'S STORY. VOLUNTEER OF 1861-2.

As wending, the crowds now part and disperse—but we, old man, Not for nothing have I brought you hither—we

eighty-five years a-gone, no mere parade receiv'd with applause of friends, But a battle, which I took part

in myself—aye, long ago as it is, I took part in it, Walking then this hill-top, this same ground.

It is well—a lesson like that, always comes good; I must copy the story, and send it eastward and west

here's a letter from our Pete; And come to the front door, mother—here's a letter from thy dear son. 2

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

sought to escape, confronting, reversing my cries; I see my own soul trampling down what it ask'd for.) 2

finish'd Sabbath, On the pavement here—and there beyond, it is looking, Down a new-made double grave. 2

resumed, the chaos louder than ever, with eager calls, and orders of officers; While from some distant part

ceaseless ferry, faces, and faces, and faces: I see them, and complain not, and am content with all. 2

I saunter'd, pondering, On time, space, reality—on such as these, and abreast with them, prudence. 2

is of consequence; Not a move can a man or woman make, that affects him or her in a day, month, any part

of his mouth, or the shaping of his great hands; All that is well thought or said this day on any part

The world does not so exist—no parts palpable or im- palpable impalpable so exist; No consummation exists

What is prudence, is indivisible, Declines to separate one part of life from every part, Divides not

destin'd conqueror—yet treacherous lip-smiles everywhere, And Death and infidelity at every step.) 2

west-bred face, To him the hereditary countenance bequeath'd, both mother's and father's, His first parts

employments, are you and me, Past, present, future, are you and me. 18 I swear I dare not shirk any part

of myself, Not any part of America, good or bad, Not the promulgation of Liberty—not to cheer up slaves

with the Power's pulsations—and the charm of my theme was upon me, Till the tissues that held me, parted

2 For we cannot tarry here, We must march my darlings, we must bear the brunt of danger, We, the youthful

through the sod, and turn it up under- neath underneath ; I am sure I shall expose some of the foul meat. 2

Perhaps every mite has once form'd part of a sick per- son person —Yet behold!

2 ('Tis while our army lines Carolina's sand and pines, Forth from thy hovel door, thou, Ethiopia, com'st

going with me leaves peace and routine behind him, And stakes his life, to be lost at any moment.) 2

heroes and martyrs, And when all life, and all the souls of men and women are discharged from any part

of the earth, Then only shall liberty, or the idea of liberty, be dis- charged discharged from that part

not so desperate at the battues of death—was not so shock'd at the repeated fusillades of the guns. 2

the blows strike revenge, or the heads of the nobles fall; The People scorn'd the ferocity of kings; 2

balk me, The pert apparel, the deform'd attitude, drunkenness, greed, premature death, all these I part

whither or how long; Perhaps soon, some day or night while I am singing, my voice will suddenly cease. 2

Your horizon rises—I see it parting away for more august dramas; I see not America only—I see not only

advancing with irresistible power on the world's stage; (Have the old forces, the old wars, played their parts

despite of people—Illustrates evil as well as good; How many hold despairingly yet to the models de- parted

all its horrors, serves, And how now, or at any time, each serves the exquisite transition of death. 2

inland and seaboard, When through These States walk a hundred millions of superb persons, When the rest part

And take the young woman's hand, and the young man's hand, for the last time. 2 I announce natural persons

2 The love of the Body of man or woman balks ac- count account —the body itself balks account; That of

I dare not desert the likes of you in other men and women, nor the likes of the parts of you; I believe

bones, and the marrow in the bones, The exquisite realization of health; O I say, these are not the parts

, All the governments, judges, gods, follow'd persons of the earth, These are contain'd in sex, as parts

shall be lawless, rude, illiterate—he shall be one condemn'd by others for deeds done; I will play a part

I will make divine magnetic lands, With the love of comrades, With the life-long love of comrades. 2

and the silent manner of me, with- out without charm; Yet comes one, a Manhattanese, and ever at parting

—No; But I record of two simple men I saw to-day, on the pier, in the midst of the crowd, parting the

part- ing parting of dear friends; The one to remain hung on the other's neck, and pas- sionately passionately

day; And the first object he look'd upon, that object he be- came became ; And that object became part

of him for the day, or a certain part of the day, or for many years, or stretching cycles of years.

The early lilacs became part of this child, And grass, and white and red morning-glories, and white and

The field-sprouts of Fourth-month and Fifth-month became part of him; Winter-grain sprouts, and those

of that child who went forth every day, and who now goes, and will always go forth every day. 2.

2. TEARS! tears! tears!

judge, or any juror, is equally criminal—and any reputable person is also—and the President is also. 2.

2.