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Leaves of grass.

  
[title page]
  
CONTENTS.
  
INSCRIPTION.

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[book]
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STARTING FROM PAUMANOK.
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WALT WHITMAN.
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CHILDREN OF ADAM.
  
FROM PENT-UP ACHING RIVERS.
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[poem]
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I SING THE BODY ELECTRIC.
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A WOMAN WAITS FOR ME.
  
SPONTANEOUS ME
  
ONE HOUR TO MADNESS AND JOY
  
WE TWO — HOW LONG WE WERE FOOL'D.
  
NATIVE MOMENTS.
  
ONCE I PASS'D THROUGH A POPULOUS CITY.
  
FACING WEST FROM CALIFORNIA'S SHORES.
  
AGES AND AGES, RETURNING AT INTERVALS.
  
O HYMEN! O HYMENEE.
  
I AM HE THAT ACHES WITH LOVE.
  
AS ADAM, EARLY IN THE MORNING.
  
EXCELSIOR.
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CALAMUS.
  
IN PATHS UNTRODDEN.
  
SCENTED HERBAGE OF MY BREAST.
  
Whoever you are, Holding me now in Hand.
  
THESE I, SINGING IN SPRING.
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A SONG.
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Not Heaving from my Ribb'd Breast only.
  
Of the Terrible Doubt of Appearances.
  
RECORDERS AGES HENCE.
  
When I Heard at the Close of the Day.
  
Are you the New Person Drawn Toward me?
  
Roots and Leaves Themselves Alone.
  
Not Heat Flames up and Consumes.
  
TRICKLE, DROPS.
  
Of Him I Love Day and Night.
  
CITY OF ORGIES.
  
BEHOLD THIS SWARTHY FACE.
  
I saw in Louisiana a Live-Oak Growing.
  
That Music Always Round Me.
  
TO A STRANGER.
  
This Moment, Yearning and Thoughtful.
  
I Hear it was Charged Against Me.
  
The Prairie-Grass Dividing.
  
We Two Boys Together Clinging.
  
O Living Always — Always Dying!
  
When I Peruse the Conquer'd Fame.
  
A GLIMPSE.
  
A PROMISE TO CALIFORNIA.
  
HERE, SAILOR!
  
HERE THE FRAILEST LEAVES OF ME.
  
WHAT THINK YOU I TAKE MY PEN IN HAND?
  
No LABOR-SAVING MACHINE.
  
I DREAMED IN A DREAM.
  
To THE EAST AND TO THE WEST.
  
EARTH! MY LIKENESS!
  
A LEAF FOR HAND IN HAND.
  
FAST ANCHOR'D, ETERNAL, O LOVE.
  
SOMETIMES WITH ONE I LOVE.
  
THAT SHADOW, MY LIKENESS.
  
AMONG THE MULTITUDE.
  
TO A WESTERN BOY.
  
O YOU WHOM I OFTEN AND SILENTLY COME.
  
FULL OF LIFE, NOW.
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SALUT AU MONDE!
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WHAT PLACE IS BESIEGED?
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LEAVES OF GRASS.
  
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BEGINNERS.
  
TESTS.
  
PERFECTIONS.
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SONG OF THE BROAD-AXE.
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WITH ANTECEDENTS.
  
SAVANTISM.
  
CROSSING BROOKLYN FERRY.
  
TO A FOIL'D REVOLTER OR REVOLTRESS.
  
TO GET BETIMES IN BOSTON TOWN.
  
TO A COMMON PROSTITUTE.
  
TO A PUPIL.
  
TO RICH GIVERS.
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A WORD OUT OF THE SEA.
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A LEAF OF FACES.
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STRONGER LESSONS.
  
EUROPE, The 72d and 73d Years of These States.
  
THOUGHT.
  
THE RUNNER.
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TO THE SAYERS OF WORDS.
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LONGINGS FOR HOME.
  
TO A PRESIDENT.
  
WALT WHITMAN'S CAUTION.
  
TO OTHER LANDS.
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SONG OF THE OPEN ROAD.
  
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TO THE STATES, To Identify the 16th, 17th, or 18th Presidentiad.
  
TO A CERTAIN CANTATRICE.
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TO WORKINGMEN.
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DEBRIS.
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LEAVES OF GRASS.
  
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AMERICAN FEUILLAGE.
  
MANNAHATTA.
  
To You.
  
FRANCE, The 18th Year of These States.
  
A HAND-MIRROR.
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THOUGHTS.
  
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TO HIM THAT WAS CRUCIFIED.
  
TO OLD AGE.
  
TO ONE SHORTLY TO DIE.
  
TO YOU.
  
UNNAMED LANDS.
  
KOSMOS.
  
WHEN I READ THE BOOK.
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SAYS.
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DESPAIRING CRIES.
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PICTURE.
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POEMS OF JOY.
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RESPONDEZ!
  
THE CITY DEAD-HOUSE.
  
LEAFLETS.
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LEAVES OF GRASS.
  
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VISOR'D.
  
NOT THE PILOT.
  
AS IF A PHANTOM CARESS'D ME.
  
PICTURE.
  
GREAT ARE THE MYTHS.
  
NOW LIST TO MY MORNING'S ROMANZA.
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BURIAL.
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THIS COMPOST!
  
I HEAR AMERICA SINGING.
  
Manhattan's Streets I Saunter'd, Pondering.
  
I WAS LOOKING A LONG WHILE.
  
THE INDICATIONS.
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LEAVES OF GRASS.
  
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ME IMPERTURBE.
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SLEEP-CHASINGS.
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ELEMENTAL DRIFTS.
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MIRACLES.
  
YOU FELONS ON TRIAL IN COURTS.
  
MEDIUMS.
  
NOW LIFT ME CLOSE.
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WALT WHITMAN'S DRUM -TAPS. New-York. 1865.
  
[page]
  
CONTENTS.
  
DRUM-TAPS.
  
SHUT NOT YOUR DOORS TO ME PROUD LIBRARIES.
  
CAVALRY CROSSING A FORD.
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SONG OF THE BANNER AT DAY-BREAK.
  
POET.
  
BANNER AND PENNANT.
  
CHILD.
  
FATHER.
  
POET.
  
CHILD.
  
FATHER.
  
BANNER AND PENNANT.
  
POET.
  
BANNER AND PENNANT.
  
CHILD.
  
FATHER.
  
POET.
  
BANNER AND PENNANT.
  
POET. (Finale.)
  
BY THE BIVOUAC'S FITFUL FLAME.">
  
1861.
  
FROM PAUMANOK STARTING I FLY LIKE A BIRD.
  
BEGINNING MY STUDIES.
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THE CENTENARIAN'S STORY.
  
VOLUNTEER OF 1861, (At Washington Park, Brooklyn, assisting the Centenarian.)
  
THE CENTENARIAN.
  
TERMINUS.
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PIONEERS! O PIONEERS!
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QUICKSAND YEARS THAT WHIRL ME I KNOW NOT WHITHER.
  
THE DRESSER.
  
WHEN I HEARD THE LEARN'D ASTRONOMER.
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RISE O DAYS FROM YOUR FATHOMLESS DEEPS.
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A CHILD'S AMAZE.
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BEAT! BEAT! DRUMS!
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COME UP FROM THE FIELDS FATHER.
  
CITY OF SHIPS.
  
MOTHER AND BABE.
  
VIGIL STRANGE I KEPT ON THE FIELD ONE NIGHT.
  
BATHED IN WAR'S PERFUME.
  
A MARCH IN THE RANKS HARD-PREST, AND THE ROAD UNKNOWN.
  
LONG, TOO LONG, O LAND.
  
A SIGHT IN CAMP IN THE DAY-BREAK GREY AND DIM.
  
A FARM PICTURE.
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GIVE ME THE SPLENDID SILENT SUN.
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OVER THE CARNAGE ROSE PROPHETIC A VOICE.
  
DID YOU ASK DULCET RHYMES FROM ME?
  
YEAR OF METEORS. (1859-60.)
  
THE TORCH.
  
YEARS OF THE UNPERFORM'D.
  
YEAR THAT TREMBLED AND REEL'D BENEATH ME.
  
THE VETERAN'S VISION.
  
O TAN-FACED PRAIRIE-BOY.
  
CAMPS OF GREEN.
  
AS TOILSOME I WANDER'D VIRGINIA'S WOODS.
  
HYMN OF DEAD SOLDIERS.
  
THE SHIP.
  
A BROADWAY PAGEANT. (RECEPTION JAPANESE EMBASSY, JUNE 16, 1860.)
  
FLAG OF STARS, THICK-SPRINKLED BUNTING.
  
OLD IRELAND.
  
LOOK DOWN FAIR MOON.
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OUT OF THE ROLLING OCEAN, THE CROWD.
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WORLD, TAKE GOOD NOTICE.
  
I SAW OLD GENERAL AT BAY.
  
OTHERS MAY PRAISE WHAT THEY LIKE.
  
SOLID, IRONICAL, ROLLING ORB.
  
HUSH'D BE THE CAMPS TO-DAY. A. L. BURIED APRIL 19, 1865.
  
WEAVE IN, WEAVE IN, MY HARDY LIFE.
  
TURN O LIBERTAD.
  
BIVOUAC ON A MOUNTAIN SIDE.
  
PENSIVE ON HER DEAD GAZING, I HEARD THE MOTHER OF ALL.
  
NOT YOUTH PERTAINS TO ME.
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SEQUEL TO DRUM-TAPS. (SINCE THE PRECEDING CAME FROM THE PRESS.) WHEN LILACS LAST IN THE DOOR-YARD BLOOM'D. AND OTHER PIECES.WASHINGTON. 1865-6.
  
CONTENTS.
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WHEN LILACS LAST IN THE DOOR-YARD BLOOM'D.
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RACE OF VETERANS.
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O CAPTAIN! MY CAPTAIN!
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SPIRIT WHOSE WORK IS DONE.
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CHANTING THE SQUARE DEIFIC.
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I HEARD YOU, SOLEMN-SWEET PIPES OF THE ORGAN.
  
NOT MY ENEMIES EVER INVADE ME.
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O ME! O LIFE!
  
[section]
  
Answer.
  
AH POVERTIES, WINCINGS, AND SULKY RETREATS.
  
AS I LAY WITH MY HEAD IN YOUR LAP, CAMERADO.
  
THIS DAY, O SOUL.
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IN CLOUDS DESCENDING, IN MIDNIGHT SLEEP.
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AN ARMY ON THE MARCH.
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DIRGE FOR TWO VETERANS.
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HOW SOLEMN, AS ONE BY ONE.
  
LO! VICTRESS ON THE PEAKS!
  
RECONCILIATION.
  
TO THE LEAVEN'D SOIL THEY TROD.
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LEAVES OF GRASS. SONGS BEFORE PARTING.
  
CONTENTS.
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AS I SAT ALONE BY BLUE ONTARIO'S SHORE.
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LEAVES OF GRASS.
  
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THOUGHTS.
  
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AS NEARING DEPARTURE.
  
AS I WALK, SOLITARY, UNATTENDED.
  
SONG AT SUNSET.
  
TO A HISTORIAN.
  
ASSURANCES.
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SO LONG!
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2

'Twas well, O soul! 'twas a good preparation you gave      me!
Now we advance our latent and ampler hunger to fill;
Now we go forth to receive what the earth and the sea      never gave us;
Not through the mighty woods we go, but through the      mightier cities;
Something for us is pouring now, more than Niagara      pouring;
Torrents of men, (sources and rills of the Northwest, are      you indeed inexhaustible?)
What, to pavements and homesteads here — what were      those storms of the mountains and sea?
What, to passions I witness around me to-day? Was      the sea risen?
Was the wind piping the pipe of death under the black      clouds?
Lo! from deeps more unfathomable, something more      deadly and savage;
Manhattan, rising, advancing with menacing front —      Cincinnati, Chicago, unchain'd;
— What was that swell I saw on the ocean? behold      what comes here!
How it climbs with daring feet and hands! how it      dashes!
How the true thunder bellows after the lightning! how      bright the flashes of lightning!
How DEMOCRACY, with desperate vengeful port strides      on, shown through the dark by those flashes of      lightning!
(Yet a mournful wail and low sob I fancied I heard      through the dark,
In a lull of the deafening confusion.)
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