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For two or three mornings past, on going as I usually do at daylight to take care of my cattle, and feed

them, I have missed something from the storehouse where I keep my grain and farming utensils.

"And lest I should oversleep myself," said the boy, "come to my window, which opens on the river, and

My people knew not of my coming—none but my brother's wife, to whom I confided my purpose, lest they

The love of life was strong in my soul.

I felt my arm, and said to myself, perhaps in the village of the pale-faces, there may be something that

In the night, when all were sleeping, I came out from our lodge, and bent my steps toward your town.

"Shame were it to me and my wife," said Thorne, "did we let one who has saved a life very dear to us,

I felt of my hatchet's edge—it was keen as my hate.

my sorrowful cousins, and went my way.

Wife of my youth! of my early youth!

All my cruelty—all my former love—all my guilt—all my disregard of the sacred ties—seemed concentrated

My deeds were as good as my word.

Among temperance novels then quite popular were Lucius Manley Sargent's My Mother's Gold Ring (1833),

—She was as solemn and sour as the spinster, and upon my mentioning my business, gave me to understand

, but my friend of the day before, the antiquary.

What that may be, will depend a good deal upon my luck.

"I am determined to do my best.

I carefully deposited it in my breast pocket, and with a lighter step wended on to my new boarding-house

, and he walked with me toward my residence.

—My slumbers were deep and unbroken.

As I took my departure from the place, who should I see in front, with a quill behind his ear, but my

My mistake in regard to the fashionable gentleman , had taught me a lesson, and my country life had taught

I pass over my stares of wonder, and my running aslant dungeon walls, castles, and canvas palaces.

As I approached my nineteenth year, my uncle, who was an honest and worthy man, evidently felt that he

money, which I felt sure he must have cramped himself to bestow on me, I made my adieus to my aunt and

sorrowful cousins, and went my way.

city where I was to take up my abode.

Yes, here I had come to seek my fortune!

I threw my valise upon a bench, and my over-coat upon it.

The good landlady's further inquisitiveness was cut short, by my taking the driver out to his wagon,

for the purpose of making arrangements and settling the price of my passage.

My neighbor by the side of the country woman, was the only exception to this.

Turning around a moment to look at Colby, who called my attention in the room, the next minute my hearing

My employer, Mr.

Andrews, had become so well satisfied with my performance of my duties, that he advanced me somewhat

above my original situation.

my duties during the day.

of my employer's honesty.

"I went that way because it is on my road home.

Please to let me go to my seat—I a'n't well." "Oh yes; that's very likely;" and Mr.

are you, my young gentleman!"

After I had been a while in my situation at Mr.

I made improvements both in my style of living, and in my dress—The new boarding-house in which I took

As it was now quite in the evening, I had hardly finished my meal before my companions came, according

Forgetful of my duty—of my employer's honor, and the crisis which would turn against him, if I continued

What fire burnt in my brain!

Upon my arrival at my destination, (at which it was probable I should have to stay the better part of

I don't know whether I have intimated, in the preceeding course of my narrative, that my nature was not

My safety, hitherto, had been from the swiftness with which my passion passed over.

delusion to smile at my own folly.

I shortly made no secret of my attachment to Mrs. Conway.

Upon the distraction which filled my breast, when it was found in the morning that the widow had died—and

If you leave me, my heart will crack!" Then in a whisper: "O, never tell me of her kindness.

Never in all my life did I receive such a shock, as when authentic information was first brought me of

I shut myself up in my room for several days, waiting the conclusion of all these horrible circumstances

I have already dwelt long enough, and too long, on this part of my history.

"My own fancy, Evans," he answered, "my own whim, perhaps. But we are not strangers.

I shall give his story in my own words.

My constitution, notwithstanding the heavy draughts made upon its powers by my youthful dissipations,

I allude to my old friend, Colby.

My country relations were not forgotten by me in my good fortune.

Conway returned my admiration, and whether she would have accepted the offer of my hand, had I been in

And I spoke with an energy that showed my mind.

it, than upon any other portion of my conduct.

I already began to blame myself for my deceit.

knowledge and my memory.

There is no need that I should pause here to dwell on my meeting with my benefactor Lee, and the shame

with which I acknowledged my guilt, and gave him back his letter.

But great as was my fault, I was hardly prepared for his storm of anger.

: and at the end of a fortnight I left my place.

My little guide crouched down close by my feet—it may be that the knowledge of the presence of death

As she mentioned the course of her walk, I started, for a dim fear took possession of my mind, to which

"Did you," gasped I faintly, as the name struck my ear, and a feeling of deadly sickness crept over my

I was almost out of my senses with agony and alarm.

But time pressed, and lifting that form so dear to me, in my arms, I bore her into the planter's residence

I shall not think it worth while for my story, to give a minute account of the lady's illness.

My people knew not of my coming—none but my brother's wife, to whom I confided my purpose, lest they

My sister fell!

"One day my sister was missing.

He accepted my challenge.

I was blinded by my hate for my sister's betrayer.

You traitor to my dead father—robber of his children!—scoundrel!—wretch! Whitman cut "—scoundrel!

"Why are you crying, my little son?" said he.

"My brother is sick," answered the child. "I have no father. He is dead."

"What is your name, my poor boy?" he asked. "Adam Covert," said the child.

Some of my readers may, perhaps, think that he ought to have been hung at the time of his crime.

"You have worked hard to-day, my son." "I've been mowing."

So, curse me if you sha'n't have a suck at my expense."

"There, my lads," said he, turning to his companions, "There's a new recruit for you.

Besides, my mother has often prayed me not to drink , and I promised to obey her."

" My mother has often prayed me not to drink!

Therefore have I rummaged over the garners of my observation and memory for the following anecdotes—and

When my mother was a girl, the house where she and her parents lived was in a gloomy wood, out of the

When nightfall came, and my grandfather did not return, my grandmother began to feel a little uneasy.

My grandmother sprung to the door, but upon opening it, she almost fainted in my mother's arms.

For there stood D ANDY , saddled and bridled, but no signs of my grandfather.

New-York is my birth-place.

Of my brothers and sisters I shall introduce only one, my brother Matthew, not quite two years younger

I was intended for the profession of the law; though, being lazy in my studies, it was not until my twenty-first

The very first day of my appearance there, about the middle of the morning, there came to see my master

My eyesight seemed to waver, my head felt dizzy, and a feeling of deadly nausea came over me.

My companion, the moment he saw her, directed my attention to her by a peculiar movement of the head.

female—though I could hardly divine what or who she had been—and when we left the place, I reminded my

He then went on to give me the particulars of this celebrated mutiny, which I had read in my own country

when a boy, but which had nearly escaped my memory.

intentions, and that G OD will receive me into favor: and I sincerely hope that my death will be the

confidential friend,) of which the following is part: "——You may be tired of such outpourings of spleen, but my

* * * Mother, my throat chokes, and my blood almost stops, when I see around me so many people who appear

"I shall give up my teacher's place," said he to his mother, "and come to live with you; we will have

"My child!" she cried, in uncontrollable agony, "O! my child!"

This sentence and the preceding one, beginning "My child," first appeared, with minor differences, in

first sentence was revised further for publication as "Little Jane:" in "The Reformed," it reads "'My

she cried, in uncontrollable agony, 'my child! you die!'" Then there was silence awhile.

.; This sentence and the preceding one, beginning "My child," first appeared, with minor differences,

first sentence was revised further for publication as "Little Jane:" in "The Reformed," it reads "'My

she cried, in uncontrollable agony, 'my child! you die!'"

of the stranger was not deficient in dignity, but it seemed far unlike the dignity of princes and captains

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

The oppression of my heart is not fitful and has no pangs; but a torpor like that of some stagnant pool

Around me are my brother men, merry and jovial.

—Ah, if the flesh could but act what my rational mind, in its moments of clear inspiration aspires to

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.

I do not press my finger across my mouth, I keep as delicate around the bowels as around the head and

Amelioration is my lesson, he says with calm voice, and progress is my lesson and the lesson of all things

I am the teacher of athletes, He that by me spreads a wider breast than my own proves the width of my

own, He most honors my style who learns under it to destroy the teacher.

"The press of my foot to the earth springs a hundred affec- tions affections They scorn the best I can

my respects.

my respects.

My Soul!

We closed with him . . . . the yards entangled . . . . the cannon touched, My captain lashed fast with

I laughed content when I heard the voice of my little captain, We have not struck, he composedly cried

Revised and reprinted in Good-Bye My Fancy (1891).; Our transcription is based on a digital image of

Reprinted in Good-Bye My Fancy (1891).; Our transcription is based on a digital image of a microfilm

My 71st Year

Reprinted in Good-Bye My Fancy (1891).; Our transcription is based on a digital image of a microfilm

Reprinted in Good-Bye My Fancy (1891).; Our transcription is based on a digital image of an original

Reprinted in Good-bye My Fancy (1891).; Our transcription is based on a digital image of a microfilm

My Departure

Reprinted in Good-Bye My Fancy (1891).; Transcribed from a digital image of a micfrofilm copy of an original

Reprinted in Good-Bye My Fancy (1891).; Our transcription is based on a digital image of a microfilm

Reprinted in Good-Bye My Fancy (1891) under the title "Shakspere-Bacon's Cipher.

O Captain! My Captain!

This poem later appeared as "Calamus No. 40," Leaves of Grass (1860); as "That Shadow My Likeness," Leaves

—"Step-along, my bullies!" Come, bullies, hop, now! hop now!" (9 Mixture of passengers .

a makes raises but bubble of the sea-ooze in comparison with against that unspeakable Something in my

—I look back upon that time in my own days.— I have no gibes nor mocks mockings or laughter;—I have only

the 1855 edition of Leaves of Grass, which was ultimately titled "Song of Myself": "Backward I see in 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

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

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

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

.— I celebrate myself to celebrate you; every man and woman alive; I transpose my my spirit I pass as

that hear me; I am loosen the voice tongue that was tied in you them In me It begins to talk out of my

My Soul Spirit was curious and sped back to the beginning, sped back returned to the times when the earth

eternally; And devise themselves to this spot place These States and this hour, Again But yet still my

My Spirit sped back to

.— 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