Leaves of Grass: First and Death-Bed Editions

by Walt Whitman

Interpolation Sounds, p. 668: First published in the New York Herald of August 12, 1888, under the title “Over and Through the Burial Chant,” the poem received its current title in Good-Bye My Fancy (1891).

  To the Sun-set Breeze, p. 669: First published in Lippincott’s for December 1800, the poem was collected in Good-Bye My Fancy (1891).

  Old Chants, p. 670: First published in New York Truth of March 10, 1881, the poem was collected in Good-Bye My Fancy (1891).

  A Christmas Greeting, p. 671: The poem was first published in Good-Bye My Fancy (1891).

  Sounds of the Winter, p. 671: Published as “Old Age Echoes” along with three other poems (“Sail Out for Good, Eidolon Yacht!,” “The Unexpress‘d,” “After the Argument”) in Lippincott’s for March 1891, the poem was collected in Good-Bye My Fancy (1891).

  A Twilight Song, p. 672: First published in the Century of May 1890, the poem was collected in Good-Bye My Fancy (1891).

  When the Full-Grown Poet Came, p. 672: An intercalation in Leaves of Grass: Author’s Edition, with Portraits and Intercalations (1876), the poem was printed in the same position in Leaves of Grass: Author’s Edition, with Portraits from Life (1876). Left out of subsequent editions, it reappeared in Good-Bye My Fancy (1891).

  Osceola, p. 673: First published in Munson’s Illustrated World of April 1890, the poem was collected in Good-Bye My Fancy (1891).

  A Voice from Death, p. 674: First published in the New York World of June 7, 1889, the poem was collected in Good-Bye My Fancy (1891).

  A Persian Lesson, p. 675: The poem was first published in Good-Bye My Fancy (1891).

  The Commonplace, p. 676: Munson’s Magazine published a facsimile of the manuscript of this poem in March 1891. It was first collected in Good-Bye My Fancy (1891).

  “The Rounded Catalogue Divine Complete,” p. 676: The poem was first published in Good-Bye My Fancy (1891).

  Mirages, p. 677: The poem was first published in Good-Bye My Fancy (1891).

  L. of G.’s Purport, p. 678: The poem was first published in Good- Bye My Fancy (1891).

  The Unexpress‘d, p. 678: Published as “Old Age Echoes” along with three other poems (“Sail Out for Good, Eidólon Yacht!,” “Sounds of the Winter,” and “After the Argument”) in the Lippincott’s of March 1891, the poem was collected in Good-Bye My Fancy (1891).

  Grand Is the Seen, p. 679: The poem was first published in Good- Bye My Fancy (1891).

  Unseen Buds, p. 679: The poem was first published in Good-Bye My Fancy (1891).

  Good-Bye My Fancy!, p. 679: The poem first concluded the volume of the same title (1891) and maintained its place in the “Second Annex” of Leaves of Grass (1891-1892).

  A Backward Glance o‘er Travel’d Roads, p. 681: This essay was completed in 1888 and first appeared in November Boughs (1888), a volume of prose that also included the cluster “Sands at Seventy.” It also appeared with “Sands at Seventy” in Complete Poems and Prose, published that same year; in the 1889 edition of Leaves of Grass printed for the poet’s seventieth birthday; and the “Death bed” Edition of Leaves of Grass published by David McKay in 1891-1892.

  ADDITIONAL POEMS

  Poems Written before 1855

  Our Future Lot, p. 709: Published in the Long Island Democrat of October 31, 1838, and labeled “from the Long Islander,” “Our Future Lot” is Whitman’s earliest extant published poem. The poem was heavily revised and published as “Time to Come” in the New York Aurora of April 9, 1842.

  Fame’s Vanity, p. 710: Published in the Long Island Democrat of October 23, 1839, the poem was the basis for “Ambition” (see note below), published in Brother Jonathan on January 29, 1842.

  My Departure, p. 711: The poem first appeared in the Long Island Democrat of November 27, 1839; the poem was shortened, revised, and published as “Death of the Nature Lover” (see note below), in Brother Jonathan on March 11, 1843.

  Young Grimes, p. 713: Published in the Long Island Democrat of January 1, 1840, the poem is Whitman’s response to Albert Gordon Greene’s “Old Grimes,” first published in 1822 and frequently republished thereafter.

  The Inca’s Daughter, p. 714: The poem was first published in the Long Island Democrat of May 5, 1840.

  The Love That Is Hereafter, p. 716: The poem first appeared in the Long Island Democrat of May 19, 1840.

  We Shall All Rest at Last, p. 717: First published in the Long Island Democrat of July 14, 1840, the poem was lightly revised and published as “Each Has His Grief” in the New York New World of November 20, 1841.

  The Spanish Lady, p. 719: First appeared in the Long Island Democrat of August 4, 1840.

  The End of All, p. 720: First published in the Long Island Democrat of September 22, 1840, “The End of All” was lightly revised and published as “The Winding Up” in the same newspaper on June 22, 1841.

  The Columbian’s Song, p. 722: The poem first appeared in the Long Island Democrat of October 27, 1840.

  The Punishment of Pride, p. 723: First published in the New York New World of December 18, 1841, the poem was allegedly written by Whitman two years earlier.

  Ambition, p. 726: Appearing in Brother Jonathan on January 29, 1842, this poem is the heavily revised version of an earlier work entitled “Fame’s Vanity” (see note above).

  The Death and Burial of McDonald Clarke, p. 728: Published in the New York Aurora of March 18, 1842.

  Time to Come, p. 729: Published in the New York Aurora of April 9, 1842, this poem is the heavily revised version of an earlier poem entitled “Our Future Lot” (see note above).

  A Sketch, p. 730: Published in the New World on December 10, 1842, this poem was first attributed to Whitman in 1994.

  Death of the Nature-Lover, p. 731: Published in Brother Jonathan on March 11, 1843, this poem is the heavily revised version of “My Departure” (see note above).

  The Play-Ground, p. 732: The poem was published in the Brooklyn Daily Eagle of June 1, 1846, which was three months after Whitman assumed the editorship of the newspaper.

  Ode, p. 733: The poem appeared in the Brooklyn Daily Eagle of July 2, 1846, while Whitman was editor.

  The Mississippi at Midnight, p. 735: Originally published in the New Orleans Crescent of March 6, 1848, the poem was revised and renamed “Sailing the Mississippi at Midnight” for inclusion in Collect (the literary miscellany included in Specimen Days and Collect) in 1882.

  Song for Certain Congressmen, p. 735: Originally published in the New York Evening Post of March 2, 1850, the poem was republished as “Dough-Face Song” in Collect in 1882, where Whitman also added the epigraph: “Like dough; soft; yielding to pressure; pale.—Webster’s Dictionary.

  Blood-Money, p. 738: First published in the New York Tribune Supplement of March 22, 1850, the poem was reprinted in the Evening Post of April 30, 1851. With very minor changes to punctuation, the poem was republished in Collect in 1882.

  The House of Friends, p. 739: Published in the New York Tribune of June 14, 1850, the poem was revised and published as “Wounded in the House of Friends” in Collect in 1882.

  Resurgemus, p. 741: Appearing in the New York Tribune on June 21, 1850, “Resurgemus” was revised and included as the eighth of the twelve untitled poems in the 1855 edition of Leaves of Grass. To date, it is the only poem published before 1855 to have been included in the First Edition. In 1856, with further revisions, it was known as “i6-Poem of the Dead Young Men of Europe, The 72d and 73d Years of These States”; in 1860, “Europe, The 72d and 73d Years of These States.”

  Poems Excluded from the “Death-bed” Edition (1891-1892)

  Great Are the Myths, p. 744: The poem appears as it did in its final publication during Whitman’s lifetime, the 1876 “Centennial” Edition of Leaves of Grass. The idea of the poem has its basis in the last of the twelve untitled poems of the 1855 edition; in various states of revision, it was published in 1856 (“Poem of a Few Greatnesses”), 1860 (“Leaves of Grass. 2”), 1867 (under its present title), and 1871. ”Great Are the Myths
“ was dropped from all subsequent editions; only lines 9-12 were separated and printed as ”Youth, Day, Old Age, and Night“ in the 1881 edition.

  Chants Democratic. 6, p. 747: The poem appears in its final published version from the 1860 edition. Without the first line and with twenty-three additional lines attached to the end, the poem was included in the 1856 edition under the title “Poem of Remembrance for a Girl or a Boy of These States.” The last twenty-three lines of the “Poem of Remembrance” eventually became “Think of the Soul” in 1867 (see note below).

  Think of the Soul, p. 748: See note for “Chants Democratic. 6,” above. These twenty-three lines were originally part of “Poem of Remembrance for a Girl or a Boy of These States” in 1856. In 1867 they became “Leaves of Grass. 1”; in 1871, the lines gained their present title, ”Think of the Soul.“ The poem was dropped from the 1881 edition.

  Respondez!, p. 749: The poem appears as it did in the 1876 “Centennial” Edition of Leaves of Grass; it was dropped from all subsequent editions. It appeared first in 1856 as “Poem of the Proposition of Nakedness”; with minor revisions, it became “Chants Democratic. 5” in 1860 and ”Respondez!“ in 1867.

  Enfans d‘Adam. 11, p. 754: The poem appeared only in the 1860 edition. All other “Enfans d’Adam” poems were retained in various forms in subsequent editions.

  Calamus. 16, p. 754: The poem appeared only in the 1860 edition. Of the forty-five poems in the “Calamus” series, only four (numbers 5, 8, 9, and 16) were not retained in future editions.

  Calamus. 8, p. 755: The poem appeared only in the 1860 edition.

  Calamus. 9, p. 756: The poem appeared only in the 1860 edition.

  Leaves of Grass. 20, p. 756: The poem was published in the 1860 edition only.

  Thoughts. 1, p. 757: The poem appeared in the 1860 and 1867 edition of Leaves of Grass and was dropped from subsequent editions.

  Thought, p. 757: The poem appears as it did in its final publication, in the 1876 “Centennial” Edition, as well as in the 1871 edition of Leaves of Grass. Earlier versions of the poem in the 1860 and 1867 editions include minor changes in wording and a different title, “Thoughts. 6.”

  Says, p. 758: The poem was first published in 1860. Though the title was retained in 1867, Whitman removed stanzas 2, 3, 4, and 6. For the 1871, 1872, and 1876 editions, stanzas 1, 5, 7, and 8 were renumbered 1 through 4, revised and published as “Suggestions.” All variants of the poem were dropped from subsequent editions.

  Apostroph, p. 759: In this form, in 1860 the poem made its first and last appearance during Whitman’s lifetime. For the 1867 edition lines 49-64 were revised as “Leaves of Grass. 1.” Whitman worked on the lines yet again for the 1871 edition and retitled the poem “O Sun of Real Peace” (see note below).

  O Sun of Real Peace, p. 762: See the note to “Apostroph” (above) for the history of this poem, which was excluded from Leaves of Grass editions after 1871.

  Primeval My Love for the Woman I Love, p. 762: The poem was published but once, in the 1860 edition of Leaves of Grass. See the note for “Fast-anchor’d Eternal O Love!” (p. 293), above.

  To You, p. 763: The poem appeared in this title and form in the 1860 and 1867 editions of Leaves of Grass. For inclusion in the annex to Leaves of Grass (1872) entitled “Passage to India” and for Two Rivulets (1876), Whitman added a new line 4: “Come let us talk of death—unbosom all freely.” The poem was dropped from subsequent editions.

  Now Lift Me Close, p. 763: The poem first appeared as the last (“24”) of the ”Leaves of Grass“ cluster in 1860. In 1867 it gained its present title and retained its placement at the end of the ”Leaves of Grass“ grouping. ”Now Lift Me Close“ was dropped from subsequent editions (probably because Whitman decided that ”So Long!“ was a sufficient farewell poem), though a derivative entitled ”To the Reader at Parting“ appeared in 1871 (see note below).

  To the Reader at Parting, p. 763: For an explanation of the poem’s history, see the note to “Now Lift Me Close.” “To the Reader at Parting” appeared in this form for the first and final time during Whitman’s lifetime in Passage to India (1871).

  Debris, p. 764: The poem appeared in its entirety only in the 1860 edition. Whitman later mined “Debris” for other poems, including “Stronger Lessons,” “Yet, Yet, Ye Downcast Hours,” “Offerings,” “Visor‘d,” “Beautiful Women,” “Not the Pilot,” and “As if a Phantom Caress’d Me.”

  Leaflets, p. 768: Originally part of “Debris” in 1860, this separate poem appeared in the 1867 edition of Leaves of Grass and was removed thereafter.

  Despairing Cries, p. 768: Originally part of “Debris” in 1860, “Despairing Cries” was published as its own poem in 1867. It was dropped from subsequent editions, though some lines were used in “Yet, Yet, Ye Downcast Hours” (see note to “Debris,” above).

  Calamus. 5, p. 769: The poem appeared only in the 1860 edition of Leaves of Grass, with a final seven lines that provided the basis for the poem “For You O Democracy.” Lines 15-35 were used as the basis for the poem “Over the Carnage Rose Prophetic a Voice.”

  Thoughts. 2, p. 770: The poem appeared in the 1860 and 1867 editions of Leaves of Grass and did not appear in this form in subsequent editions.

  Thoughts. 4, p. 771: The poem appeared as the fourth part of the “Thoughts” grouping in the 1860 and 1867 editions of Leaves of Grass, and did not appear in this form thereafter.

  Bathed in War’s Perfume, p. 771: This is the 1871 text of the poem, which was also included in the 1876 “Centennial” Edition but excluded from Leaves of Grass thereafter. The poem first appeared in Drum-Taps of 1865 and the 1867 edition of Leaves of Grass, without the current second line, which was included in 1871, six years after the end of the Civil War.

  Solid, Ironical, Rolling Orb, p. 771: First published in Drum-Taps (1865), the poem appeared in 1867, 1871, and 1876 but was left out of the 1881 edition of Leaves of Grass.

  Not My Enemies Ever Invade Me, p. 772: First published in Sequel to Drum-Taps (1865-1866), the poem was reprinted in 1867 and excluded from all subsequent editions.

  This Day, O Soul, p. 772: First published in Sequel to Drum-Taps (1865-1866,) the poem appeared in the 1867 edition, the 1872 “Passage to India” annex and Two Rivulets (1876). It was excluded from Leaves of Grass thereafter.

  Lessons, p. 772: This poem appeared for the first and last time during Whitman’s lifetime in Passage to India (1871).

  Ashes of Soldiers: Epigraph, p. 772: This epigraph first preceded the poem “Ashes of Soldiers” in Passage to India (1871). It supplemented “Ashes of Soldiers” in the “Passage to India” annexes of 1872 and 1876 but was excluded from all subsequent editions.

  The Beauty of the Ship, p. 773: The text of this poem was published only in 1876. Along with “After an Interval” (see note below), “The Beauty of the Ship” was an intercalation in the 1876 Leaves of Grass: Author’s Edition, with Portraits and Intercalations (an “intercalation” was Whitman’s word for a clipping that was pasted in place in one edition and printed on the same page in later pressings). The poem was printed in the 1876 Leaves of Grass: Author’s Edition, with Portraits from Life.

  After an Interval, p. 773: See note to “The Beauty of the Ship,” above. “After an Interval” was also an intercalation in the 1876 Leaves of Grass: Author’s Edition, with Portraits and Intercalations; it was published in the later pressing of this edition, the 1876 Leaves of Grass: Author’s Edition, with Portraits from Life.

  Two Rivulets, p. 773: Published in this form only once, in Two Rivulets, the companion volume to the 1876 edition of Leaves of Grass. Lines 10-12 were used in “As Consequent, Etc.,” a poem new to the 1881 edition. All in all, four poems in Two Rivulets appeared only in that volume: “Two Rivulets,” “Or from That Sea of Time,” “From My Last Years,” and “In Former Songs” (see notes, below).

  Or from That Sea of Time, p. 774: The text to this poem appeared in this form only in the 1876 companion volume Two Rivulets. The
first twelve lines were revised and became lines 22-33 of “As Consequent, Etc”; lines 13-18 were altered slightly to form lines 16-21 of that poem.

  From My Last Years, p. 775: This poem appeared once only in Two Rivulets (1876).

  In Former Songs, p. 775: This poem appears but once, in the companion volume Two Rivulets (1876).

  As in a Swoon, p. 775: The poem first appeared as an intercalation in the 1876 Leaves of Grass: Author’s Edition, with Portraits and Intercalations; it was published in the 1876 edition Leaves of Grass: Author’s Edition, with Portraits from Life (see the note, above, on “The Beauty of the Ship” for information about Whitman’s intercalations). Though it was included in Good-Bye My Fancy (1891) and Complete Prose Works (1892), it was not included in Leaves of Grass (1891-1892).

  [Last Droplets], p. 776: Whitman never titled these lines, which appear only once: in the prefatory note to the literary miscellany Good-Bye My Fancy (1891).

  Ship Ahoy!, p. 776: The poem first appeared in the literary miscellany Good-Bye My Fancy (1891) and was also published in Complete Prose Works (1892), though it was never included in the culminating 1801-1802 edition of Leaves of Grass.