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I am but in the beginning of life, and my heart has not lost its sympathy with the cheerful and bright
On the right side, "Youth of my country! Martyrdom prefer to Slavery."
the balmy coolness and the voluptuousness of the scene had led me into, being thus broken in upon, my
—This individual, my enemy, and I, had differed upon a matter of opinion; a sharp word had passed, and
To such an one will I doff my beaver. Whitman here means to tip his hat.
For my part, I have had serious thoughts of getting up a regular ticket for President and Congress and
It is my impression, too, that we should poll a pretty strong vote. We number largely in the land.
an enormous basket, containing a towel, fishing tackle, and incalculable quantities of provisions; Captain
But my limits will not allow me to expatiate upon the events of this interesting voyage.
In the 1855 edition of Leaves of Grass, Whitman famously wrote, "I loafe and invite my soul, I lean and
loafe at my ease . . . . observing a spear of summer grass" ( Leaves of Grass [Brooklyn: n.p., 1855]
In the 1855 edition of Leaves of Grass, Whitman famously wrote, "I loafe and invite my soul, I lean and
loafe at my ease . . . . observing a spear of summer grass" (Leaves of Grass [Brooklyn: n.p., 1855],
expression changed, and his face greeted ours with an arch confiding smile, as much as to say "I know, my
account of a wondrous and important discovery, a treatise upon which would fill up the principal part of my
Some years ago, when my judgement was in the bud, I thought riches were very desirable things.
But I have altered my mind. Light has flowed in upon me. I am not quite so green as I was.
Compare to, "I loafe and invite my soul,/ I lean and loafe at my ease . . . . observing a spear of summer
eagerly scanned to discover the object of my labours.
, and brighter, and more precious than earthly jewels; but in vain, for it eluded my sight.
which had been showered upon my mind. * * * * * * * The agitation of my thoughts, however, broke my slumbers
I slowly wended my way homeward, my soul improved in knowledge, and determined to treasure during life
.; Compare to, "I loafe and invite my soul,/ I lean and loafe at my ease . . . . observing a spear of
From my very soul, I look with sorrow on the pitiable and black souled malice which actuates such men
Wisdom mentioned by Whitman is Captain William A.
Wisdom mentioned by Whitman is Captain William A.
see also a letter Whitman writes to his niece, Jessie Louisa Whitman, on March 6, 1887: "Well I had my
see also a letter Whitman writes to his niece, Jessie Louisa Whitman, on March 6, 1887: "Well I had my
I ask for their decipherment from a learned person in my neighborhood.
first edition of Leaves of Grass thirteen years later, where he famously writes, "I loaf and invite my
soul, / I lean and loafe at my ease . . . . observing a spear of summer grass," and later asking his
first edition of Leaves of Grass thirteen years later, where he famously writes, "I loaf and invite my
soul, / I lean and loafe at my ease . . . . observing a spear of summer grass," and later asking his
little son, Prince Arthur, who was taken prisoner by his usurping uncle: "Grief fills the room up of my
had you such a loss as I, I could give better comfort than you do.— I will not keep this form upon my
head, When there is such disorder in my wit.
My boy, my Arthur, my fair son!
My life, my joy, my food, my all in the world, My widow–comfort, and my sorrow's cure!"
journal of James Brooke, Esq., of Sarawack, (now agent for the British government in Borneo.) by Captain
Burke, Chatham, Adam Clarke, Lord Clive, Captain Cook, Fox, Franklin, Warren Hastings, Bishop Heber,
The Captain's Daughter.
This naval Captain has not been identified.
.; This naval Captain has not been identified.; Our transcription is based on a digital image of a microfilm
The following officers were then unanimously elected for the ensuing year: Captain —WILLIAM H.
We closed with him—the yards entangled—the can- non cannon touch'd; My captain lash'd fast with his own
Now I laugh content, for I hear the voice of my little captain, We have not struck, he composedly cries
Only three guns are in use; One is directed by the captain himself against the ene- my's enemy's main-mast
MY LIKENESS! EARTH! my likeness!
heart, O my soldiers, my veterans, My heart gives you love.
Bear forth to them, folded, my love —(Dear mariners!
for you I fold it here, in every leaf;) Speed on, my Book!
And so will some one, when I am dead and gone, write my life?
, I seek, for my own use, to trace out here.)
BEGINNING MY STUDIES.
What do my shouts amid lightnings and raging winds mean?)
songs in Sex, Offspring of my loins.
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.
all was still, ringing little bells last night under my ear.
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.
all—aplomb in the midst of irrational things, Imbued as they—passive, receptive, silent as they, Finding my
woods, or of any farm-life of These States, or of the coast, or the lakes, or Kanada, Me, wherever my
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
NOW LIST TO MY MORNING'S ROMANZA. 1 Now list to my morning's romanza—I tell the signs of the Answerer
And I stand before the young man face to face, and take his right hand in my left hand, and his left
hand in my right hand, And I answer for his brother, and for men, and I an- swer answer for him that
landscape, people, animals, The profound earth and its attributes, and the unquiet ocean, (so tell I my
to the President at his levee, And he says, Good-day, my brother!
indifferent , but trembling with age and your unheal'd wounds, you mounted the scaffold;) —I would sing in my
know not why, but I loved you…(and so go forth little song, Far over sea speed like an arrow, carrying my
love, and drop these lines at his feet;) —Nor forget I to sing of the wonder, the ship as she swam up my
bay, Well-shaped and stately the Great Eastern swam up my bay, she was 600 feet long, Her, moving swiftly
My South! O quick mettle, rich blood, impulse, and love! Good and evil! O all dear to me!
the Tombigbee, the Santee, the Coosa, and the Sabine; O pensive, far away wandering, I return with my
the graceful palmetto; I pass rude sea-headlands and enter Pamlico Sound through an inlet, and dart my
Me, ruthless and devilish as any, that my wrists are not chain'd with iron, or my ankles with iron?
My girl, I appoint with you an appointment—and I charge you that you make preparation to be worthy to
O Manhattan, my own, my peerless! O strongest you in the hour of danger, in crisis!
VIGIL strange I kept on the field one night: When you, my son and my comrade, dropt at my side that day
O my soldiers twain! O my veterans, passing to burial!
heart, O my soldiers, my veterans, My heart gives you love.
WHILE my wife at my side lies slumbering, and the wars are over long, And my head on the pillow rests
Features of my equals, would you trick me with your creas'd and cadaverous march?
I saw the face of the most smear'd and slobbering idiot they had at the asylum; And I knew for my consolation
what they knew not; I knew of the agents that emptied and broke my brother, The same wait to clear the
pickets, Come here, she blushingly cries—Come nigh to me, lim-ber-hipp'dlimber-hipp'd man, Stand at my
upon you, Fill me with albescent honey, bend down to me, Rub to me with your chafing beard, rub to my
What is this you bring my America? Is it uniform with my country?
I swear I will have each quality of my race in my- self myself , (Talk as you like, he only suits These
rapt verse, my call—mock me not!
my lands!
WEAVE IN, WEAVE IN, MY HARDY LIFE. WEAVE in! weave in, my hardy life!
the still woods I loved; I will not go now on the pastures to walk; I will not strip the clothes from my
body to meet my lover the sea; I will not touch my flesh to the earth, as to other flesh, to renew me
and meat; I do not see any of it upon you to-day—or perhaps I am deceiv'd; I will run a furrow with my
I WAS asking for something specific and perfect for my city, Whereupon, lo!
my city! The city of such women, I am mad to be with them!
Covering all my lands! all my sea-shores lining! Flag of death!
Ah my silvery beauty! ah my woolly white and crim- son crimson !
Ah to sing the song of you, my matron mighty! My sacred one, my mother.
, with bends and chutes; And my Illinois fields, and my Kansas fields, and my fields of Missouri; The
My limbs, my veins dilate; The blood of the world has fill'd me full—my theme is clear at last: —Banner
my brother or my sister! Keep on!
I walk'd the shores of my Eastern Sea, Heard over the waves the little voice, Saw the divine infant,
maintain the be- queath'd bequeath'd cause, as for all lands, And I send these words to Paris with my
Whoever you are, now I place my hand upon you, that you be my poem; I whisper with my lips close to your
O I have been dilatory and dumb; I should have made my way straight to you long ago; I should have blabb'd
paint myriads of heads, but paint no head with- out without its nimbus of gold-color'd light; From my
States awhile—but I cannot tell whither or how long; Perhaps soon, some day or night while I am singing, my
Open mouth of my Soul, uttering gladness, Eyes of my Soul, seeing perfection, Natural life of me, faithfully
To prepare for sleep, for bed—to look on my rose- color'd rose-color'd flesh; To be conscious of my body
How my thoughts play subtly at the spectacles around! How the clouds pass silently overhead!
I remember I said, before my leaves sprang at all, I would raise my voice jocund and strong, with reference
AS I PONDER'D IN SILENCE. 1 AS I ponder'd in silence, Returning upon my poems, considering, lingering
then I answer'd, I too, haughty Shade, also sing war—and a longer and greater one than any, Waged in my
Bear forth to them, folded, my love —(Dear mariners!
for you I fold it here, in every leaf;) Speed on, my Book!
spread your white sails, my little bark, athwart the imperious waves!
prove this puzzle, the New World, And to define America, her athletic Democracy; Therefore I send you my
And so will some one, when I am dead and gone, write my life?
(As if any man really knew aught of my life; Why, even I myself, I often think, know little or noth-
ing nothing of my real life; Only a few hints—a few diffused, faint clues and indi- rections indirections
, I seek, for my own use, to trace out here.)
Beginning My Studies. BEGINNING MY STUDIES.
BEGINNING my studies, the first step pleas'd me so much, The mere fact, consciousness—these forms—the
With yet unknown results to come, for thrice a thou- sand thousand years,) These recitatives for thee—my
miner in California; Or rude in my home in Dakota's woods, my diet meat, my drink from the spring; Or
place, with my own day, here.
My comrade!
my intrepid nations! O I at any rate include you all with perfect love!
steamers steaming through my poems!
Unfolded only out of the inimitable poem of the wo- man woman can come the poems of man—(only thence have my
and gently turn'd over upon me, And parted my shirt from my bosom-bone, and plunged your tongue to my
My ties and ballasts leave me—I travel—I sail—my elbows rest in the sea-gaps; I skirt the sierras—my
We closed with him—the yards entangled—the can- non cannon touch'd; My captain lash'd fast with his own
Now I laugh content, for I hear the voice of my little captain, We have not struck, he composedly cries
Only three guns are in use; One is directed by the captain himself against the ene- my's enemy's main-mast
daughters, sons, preluding, The love, the life of their bodies, meaning and being, Curious, here behold my
cycles, in their wide sweep, having brought me again, Amorous, mature—all beautiful to me—all wondrous; My
wondrous; Existing, I peer and penetrate still, Content with the present—content with the past, By my
I were nothing; From what I am determin'd to make illustrious, even if I stand sole among men; From my
The oath of the inseparableness of two together—of the woman that loves me, and whom I love more than my
warp and from the woof; (To talk to the perfect girl who understands me, To waft to her these from my
own lips—to effuse them from my own body;) From privacy—from frequent repinings alone; From plenty of
the right person not near; From the soft sliding of hands over me, and thrusting of fingers through my
beautiful, curious, breathing, laughing flesh is enough, To pass among them, or touch any one, or rest my
As I see my soul reflected in nature; As I see through a mist, one with inexpressible com- pleteness
For they do not conceal themselves, and cannot conceal themselves. 9 O my Body!
likes of the Soul, (and that they are the Soul;) I believe the likes of you shall stand or fall with my
instep, foot-ball, toes, toe-joints, the heel; All attitudes, all the shapeliness, all the belongings of my
It is I, you women—I make my way, I am stern, acrid, large, undissuadable—but I love you, I do not hurt
babes I beget upon you are to beget babes in their turn, I shall demand perfect men and women out of my
SPONTANEOUS me, Nature, The loving day, the mounting sun, the friend I am happy with, The arm of my friend
hanging idly over my shoulder, The hill-side whiten'd with blossoms of the mountain ash, The same, late
en- circling encircling fingers—the young man all color'd, red, ashamed, angry; The souse upon me of my
chastity of paternity, to match the great chastity of maternity, The oath of procreation I have sworn—my
greed that eats me day and night with hungry gnaw, till I saturate what shall produce boys to fill my