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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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4   As I wend to the shores I know not,
As I list to the dirge, the voices of men and women      wreck't,
As I inhale the impalpable breezes that set in upon      me,
As the ocean so mysterious rolls toward me closer      and closer,
I, too, but signify, at the utmost, a little wash'd-up      drift,
A few sands and dead leaves to gather,
Gather, and merge myself as part of the sands and      drift.
5  O baffled, balk'd, bent to the very earth,
Opprest with myself that I have dared to open my      mouth,
Aware now, that, amid all the blab whose echoes re-     coil upon me, I have not once had the least      idea who or what I am,
But that before all my insolent poems, the real ME      stands yet untouch'd, untold, altogether un-     reach'd,
Withdrawn far, mocking me with mock-congratu-     latory signs and bows,
With peals of distant ironical laughter at every word      I have written,
Pointing in silence to all these songs, and then to      the sand beneath.
6  Now I perceive I have not understood anything —      not a single object — and that no man ever      can.
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7   I perceive Nature, here in sight of the sea, is taking      advantage of me, to dart upon me, and sting      me,
Because I have dared to open my mouth to sing at      all.
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