Leaves of Grass: First and Death-Bed Editions

by Walt Whitman

  From Far Dakota’s Canons, p. 613: First appearing in the New York Tribune of June 18, 1876, as “A Death Sonnet for Custer,” the poem was included in the 1876 edition of Leaves of Grass before gaining its final position in the “From Noon to Starry Night” cluster in 1881.

  Old War-Dreams, p. 614: First appearing in Sequel to Drum-Taps (1865-1866), the poem was revised and published in 1867 and 1871 before its inclusion in the 1881 edition.

  Thick-sprinkled Bunting, p. 615: First published as “Flag of Stars, Thick-sprinkled Bunting” in Drum-Taps (1865), the poem received its present title in 1871.

  What Best I See in Thee, p. 615: The dedication to Ulysses S. Grant first appeared in the 1881 edition of Leaves of Grass.

  Spirit That Form’d This Scene, p. 616: This poem was a new inclusion in Leaves of Grass (1881).

  As I Walk These Broad Majestic Days, p. 616: “Chants Democratic. 21” in 1860 and ”As I Walk Solitary, Unattended“ in the ”Songs before Parting“ annex to Leaves of Grass (1867), the poem was given its current title in 1871. It was revised until it achieved its final form in 1881.

  A Clear Midnight, p. 617: This was a new inclusion to the 1881 edition of Leaves of Grass.

  Songs of Parting, p. 618: This cluster is new to the 1881 edition, though all but two of the seventeen poems (“As at Thy Portals Also Death” and “The Sobbing of the Bells”) appeared in earlier editions.

  As the Time Draws Nigh, p. 618: Originally titled “To My Soul” in the 1860 edition of Leaves of Grass, this poem was originally much longer and more personal; it was revised for inclusion in the “Songs before Parting” annex of 1867 and was retitled “As the Time Draws Nigh” in 1871.

  Years of the Modern, p. 618: Published as “Years of the Unper- formed” in Drum-Taps (1865), the poem took on its present title when it appeared in “Songs of Parting” in Leaves of Grass (1872).

  Ashes of Soldiers, p. 620: First published in Drum-Taps of 1865 as “Hymn of Dead Soldiers,” this poem was also included in Passage to India of 1871, the 1872 edition of Leaves of Grass, and the 1876 companion volume Two Rivulets.

  Thoughts, p. 621: The first part of this poem was “Chants Democratic. 9” and the second part ”Chants Democratic. 11” in Leaves of Grass (1860). In 1867 the poems were combined and formed the first two sections of “Thoughts,” which was republished in 1871 and 1881.

  Song at Sunset, p. 623: Originally entitled “Chants Democratic. 8” in the 1860 edition, this poem gained its present title in 1867 was republished in 1871 and 1881.

  As at Thy Portals Also Death, p. 625: This elegy to Whitman’s mother was new to the 1881 edition of Leaves of Grass.

  My Legacy, p. 626: First published as “Souvenirs of Democracy” in As a Strong Bird on Pinions Free (1872), the poem was reprinted in Two Rivulets (1876) and appeared in Leaves of Grass (1881) under its present title.

  Pensive on Her Dead Gazing, p. 626: Appearing first in Drum-Taps (1865), the poem underwent minor revisions through its republication in 1867, 1871, and 1881.

  Camps of Green, p. 627: This poem shares the publication history of “Pensive on Her Dead Gazing,” appearing first in Drum-Taps (1865) and in final form in Leaves of Grass (1881).

  The Sobbing of the Bells, p. 628: First published in the Boston Daily Globe of September 27, 1881, it was included in Leaves of Grass (1881).

  As They Draw to a Close, p. 629: First published in Passage to India (1871) as “Thought,” the poem achieved its final form in 1881.

  Joy, Shipmate, Joy!, p. 629: Published with the current title and text in Passage to India (1871).

  The Untold Want, p. 629: Published with the current title and text in Passage to India (1871).

  Portals, p. 630: Published with the current title and text in Passage to India (1871).

  These Carols, p. 630: Published with the current title and text in Passage to India (1871).

  Now Finalé to the Shore, p. 630: Published in Passage to India (1871) and included with minor revisions in Leaves of Grass (1881).

  So Long!, p. 630: First published in Leaves of Grass (1860), “So Long!” maintained its place as the farewell poem in all subsequent editions of Leaves of Grass. After 1860, the poem was shortened by more than twenty lines.

  First Annex: Sands at Seventy, p. 635: This cluster of sixty-five poems was first published in the miscellany November Boughs in 1888 (a year before Whitman’s seventieth birthday). “Sands at Seventy” was first included in Leaves of Grass in 1889. Like the poems of “Second Annex: Good-Bye My Fancy,” most of these poems were written after 1884.

  Mannahatta, p. 635: First published in the New York Herald on February 27, 1888, the poem was included in the “Sands at Seventy” annex of November Boughs (1888) with minor revision.

  Paumanok, p. 635: First published in the New York Herald on February 29, 1888, the poem was included in the “Sands at Seventy” annex of November Boughs (1888).

  From Montauk Point, p. 635: First published in the New York Herald on March 1, 1888, the poem was included in the “Sands at Seventy” annex of November Boughs (1888).

  To Those Who’ve Fail‘d, p. 636: First published in the New York Herald on January 27, 1888, the poem was included in the “Sands at Seventy” annex of November Boughs (1888) with minor revision.

  A Carol Closing Sixty-nine, p. 636: First published in the New York Herald on May 21, 1888, the poem was included in the “Sands at Seventy” annex of November Boughs (1888).

  The Bravest Soldiers, p. 636: First published in the New York Herald on March 18, 1888, the poem was included in the “Sands at Seventy” annex of November Boughs (1888).

  A Font of Type, p. 637: First published in the “Sands at Seventy” annex of November Boughs (1888).

  As I Sit Writing Here, p. 637: First published in the New York Herald on May 14, 1888, the poem was included in the “Sands at Seventy” annex of November Boughs (1888).

  My Canary Bird, p. 637: First published in the New York Herald on March 2, 1888, the poem was included in the “Sands at Seventy” annex of November Boughs (1888).

  Queries to My Seventieth Year, p. 637: First published in the New York Herald on May 2, 1888, the poem was included in the “Sands at Seventy” annex of November Boughs (1888).

  The Wallabout Martyrs, p. 638: First published in the New York Herald on March 16, 1888, the poem was included in the “Sands at Seventy” annex of November Boughs (1888).

  The First Dandelion, p. 638: First published in the New York Herald on March 12, 1888, the poem was included in the “Sands at Seventy” annex of November Boughs (1888).

  America, p. 638: This poem was published in the New York Herald of April 23, 1888, and then included in the “Sands at Seventy” annex of November Boughs (1888).

  Memories, p. 639: First published in the “Sands at Seventy” annex of November Boughs (1888).

  To-Day and Thee, p. 639: First published in the New York Herald on April 23, 1888, the poem was included in the “Sands at Seventy” annex of November Boughs (1888).

  After the Dazzle of Day, p. 639: First published in the New York Herald on February 3, 1888, the poem was included in the “Sands at Seventy” annex of November Boughs (1888).

  Abraham Lincoln, Born Feb. 12, 1809, p. 639: First published in the New York Herald on February 12, 1888, the poem was included in the “Sands at Seventy” annex of November Boughs (1888).

  Out of May’s Shows Selected, p. 640: First published in the New York Herald of May 10, 1888, the poem was included in the “Sands at Seventy” annex of November Boughs (1888).

  Halycon Days, p. 640: First published in the New York Herald of January 29, 1888, the poem was included in the “Sands at Seventy” annex of November Boughs (1888).

  Fancies at Navesink, p. 640: This group of eight poems was first published in the London publication Nineteenth Century in August 1885; all were included with the same text and title in the “Sands at Seventy” annex of November Boughs (1888).

  Election Day, November, 18
84, p. 643: First published in the Philadelphia Press of October 26, 1884, the poem was included in the “Sands at Seventy” annex of November Boughs (1888).

  With Husky-Haughty Lips, O Sea!, p. 644: First published in Harper’s Monthly in March 1884, the poem was included in the “Sands at Seventy” annex of November Boughs (1888).

  Death of General Grant, p. 645: First published in Harper’s Weekly on May 16, 1885, the poem was included in the “Sands at Seventy” annex of November Boughs (1888).

  Red Jacket (From Aloft), p. 645: First published in the Philadelphia Press of October 10, 1884, the poem was included in the “Sands at Seventy” annex of November Boughs (1888).

  Washington’s Monument, February, 1885, p. 646: First published in the Philadelphia Press of February 22, 1885, the poem was included in the “Sands at Seventy” annex of November Boughs (1888).

  Of That Blithe Throat of Thine, p. 646: First published in Harper’s Monthly of January 1885, the poem was included in the “Sands at Seventy” annex of November Boughs (1888).

  Broadway, p. 647: First published in the New York Herald on April 10, 1888, the poem was included in the “Sands at Seventy” annex of November Boughs (1888).

  To Get the Final Lilt of Songs, p. 647: First published in the New York Herald of April 16, 1888, the poem was included in the “Sands at Seventy” annex of November Boughs (1888).

  Old Salt Kossabone, p. 648: First published in the New York Herald of February 25, 1888, the poem was included in the “Sands at Seventy” annex of November Boughs (1888).

  The Dead Tenor, p. 648: First published in the Critic of November 87 1884, the poem was included in the “Sands at Seventy” annex of November Boughs (1888).

  Continuities, p. 649: First published in the New York Herald of March 20, 1888, the poem was included in the “Sands at Seventy” annex of November Boughs (1888).

  Yonnondio, p. 649: First published in the Critic of November 26, 1887, the poem was included in the “Sands at Seventy” annex of November Boughs (1888).

  Life, p. 650: First published in the New York Herald of April 15, 1888, the poem was included in the “Sands at Seventy” annex of November Boughs (1888).

  “Going Somewhere,” p. 650: First published in Lippincott’s Magazine in November 1887, the poem was included in the “Sands at Seventy” annex of November Boughs (1888).

  Small the Theme of My Chant, p. 651: This was the introductory poem to Leaves of Grass (1867); revised and condensed, it headed the “Inscriptions” cluster in 1871.

  True Conquerors, p. 651: First published in the New York Herald of February 15, 1888, the poem was included in the “Sands at Seventy” annex of November Boughs (1888).

  The United States to Old World Critics, p. 652: First published in the New York Herald of May 8, 1888, the poem was included in the “Sands at Seventy” annex of November Boughs (1888).

  The Calming Thought of All, p. 652: First published in the New York Herald of May 27, 1888, the poem was included in the “Sands at Seventy” annex of November Boughs (1888).

  Thanks in Old Age, p. 652: First published in the Philadelphia Press of November 24, 1887, the poem was included in the “Sands at Seventy” annex of November Boughs (1888).

  Life and Death, p. 653: First published in the New York Herald of May 23, 1888, the poem was included in the “Sands at Seventy” annex of November Boughs (1888).

  The Voice of the Rain, p. 653: First published in Outing in August 1885, the poem was included in the “Sands at Seventy” annex of November Boughs (1888).

  Soon Shall the Winter’s Foil Be Here, p. 653: First published in the New York Herald of February 21, 1888, the poem was included in the “Sands at Seventy” annex of November Boughs (1888).

  While Not the Past Forgetting, p. 654: The poem’s first appearance was in the “Sands at Seventy” annex of November Boughs (1888).

  The Dying Veteran, p. 654: First published in McClair’s Magazine in June 1887, the poem was included in the “Sands at Seventy” annex of November Boughs (1888).

  Stronger Lessons, p. 655: These two lines were originally part of the 1860 poem “Debris.” In 1867 the lines were given the present title.

  A Prairie Sunset, p. 655: First published in the New York Herald of March 9, 1888, the poem was included in the “Sands at Seventy” annex of November Boughs (1888).

  Twenty Years, p. 656: First published in the Magazine of Art in July 1888, the poem was included in the “Sands at Seventy” annex of November Boughs (1888).

  Orange Buds by Mail from Florida, p. 656: First published in the New York Herald of March 19, 1888, the poem was included in the “Sands at Seventy” annex of November Boughs (1888).

  Twilight, p. 657: First published in Century magazine in December 1887, the poem was included in the “Sands at Seventy” annex of November Boughs (1888).

  You Lingering Sparse Leaves of Me, p. 657: First published in Lippincott’s in November 1887, the poem was included in the “Sands at Seventy” annex of November Boughs (1888).

  Not Meagre, Latent Boughs Alone, p. 657: First published in Lip- pincott’s in November 1887, the poem was included in the “Sands at Seventy” annex of November Boughs (1888).

  The Dead Emperor, p. 657: The poem was first published in the New York Herald of March 10, 1888, the day after the death of Wilhelm I of Germany. The poem was included in the “Sands at Seventy” annex of November Boughs (1888).

  As the Greek’s Signal Flame, p. 658: First published in the New York Herald of December 15, 1887, the poem was included in the “Sands at Seventy” annex of November Boughs (1888).

  The Dismantled Ship, p. 658: First published in the New York Herald of February 23, 1888, the poem was included in the “Sands at Seventy” annex of November Boughs (1888).

  Now Precedent Songs, Farewell, p. 658: This poem was first published in the “Sands at Seventy” annex of November Boughs (1888).

  An Evening Lull, p. 659: This poem was first published in the “Sands at Seventy” annex of November Boughs (1888).

  Old Age’s Lambent Peaks, p. 659: First printed in Century magazine in September 1888, this poem was not collected in November Boughs but in the “Sands at Seventy” annex of Leaves of Grass (1888).

  After the Supper and Talk, p. 660: First published in Lippincott’s in November 1887, the poem was included in the “Sands at Seventy” annex of November Boughs (1888).

  Second Annex: Good-Bye My Fancy, p. 661: This cluster of thirty-one poems was first assembled as a sixty-six-page volume of prose and poetry, published by David McKay in May 1891; the grouping was included in the 1802 edition of Leaves of Grass. Most of these works were written in the poet’s final decade and first published in periodicals after 1888.

  Preface Note to 2d Annex, Concluding L. of G.—1891, p. 661: Whitman included these spontaneous-sounding notes in the 1891 volume entitled Good-Bye My Fancy; they also prefaced the “Second Annex” of the 1891—1892 edition of Leaves of Grass.

  Sail Out for Good, Eidólon Yacht!, p. 663: Published as “Old Age Echoes” along with three other poems (“Sound of the Winter,” “The Unexpress‘d,” and “After the Argument”) in LiPpincott’s of March 1891, the poem was collected in Good-Bye My Fancy (1891).

  Lingering Last Drops, p. 663: The poem was first published in Good-Bye My Fancy (1891).

  Good-Bye My Fancy, p. 664: The poem was first published in GoodBye My Fancy (1891).

  On, On the Same, Ye Jocund Twain!, p. 664: The poem was first published in Good-Bye My Fancy (1891).

  My 71st Year, p. 665: First published in Century magazine in November 1889, the poem was collected in Good-Bye My Fancy (1891).

  Apparitions, p. 665: The poem was first published in Good-Bye My Fancy (1891).

  The Pallid Wreath, p. 665: First published in the Critic of January 10, 1891, the poem was collected in Good-Bye My Fancy (1891).

  An Ended Day, p. 666: The poem was first published in Good-Bye My Fancy (1891).

  Old Age’s Ship & Crafty Death�
��s, p. 667: First published in Century magazine in February 1890, the poem was collected in Good-Bye My Fancy (1891).

  To the Pending Year, p. 667: First published in the Critic of January 5, 1889 as “To the Year 1889,” the poem received its current title in Good-Bye My Fancy (1891).

  Shakspere-Bacon’s Cipher, p. 667: First published in the Cosmopolitan magazine of October 1887, the poem was collected in Good-Bye My Fancy (1891).

  Long, Long Hence, p. 668: The poem was first published in Good- Bye My Fancy (1891).

  Bravo, Paris Exposition!, p. 668: First published in Harper’s Weekly on September 28, 1889, the poem was collected in Good-Bye My Fancy (1891).