Part T Variorum Readings Come, Said my Soul. [See title page.] A prefatory poem in 1876 edition, called "author's edition"; in 1881 written on title page and signed by the author. Inscriptions. [I., p. 1.] A group title for nine poems in the 1871-2 edition: One'sSelf I Sing, As I Ponder'd in Silence, In Cabin'd Ships at Sea, To Foreign Lands, To a Historian, For Him I Sing, When I Read the Book, Beginning my Studies, To Thee Old Cause. In 1881 twenty-four poems were included in the group. The name was taken from a prefatory poem in the edition of 1867 called Inscription. One's-Self I Sing. [I., p. 1.] 1871 in its present form and with this title. The original poem was called Inscription in 1867 and was reprinted in Sands at Seventy under the title Small the Theme of my Chant (see vol. II., page 311). The present poem is a variation of the 1867 Inscription, other details being added in 1871. As I Ponder'd in Silence. [I., p. 1.] 1871-2, p. 7. In Cabin'd Ships at Sea. [I., p. 2.] 1871-2, page 8. Line 3, 1871-2: after "waves" read "In such "; discarded in 1881. To Foreign Lands. [I., p. 4.] 1860: To Other Lands, page 402; 1871 with present title; transferred to Inscriptions in 1881. Line 1, 1860: "I hear you have been asking for something to represent the new race, our self-poised Democracy." Line 2: added in 1871. To a Historian. [I., p. 4.] 1860: Chants Democratic, No. 10, page 181; 1867 with present title in second annex, page 31; 1871 transferred to Inscriptions, page 9. The original poem read. "HISTORIAN! you who celebrate bygones! You have explored the outward, the surface of the races-the life that has exhibited itself, You have treated man as the creature of politics, aggregates, rulers, and priests; But now I also, arriving, contribute something; I, an habitué of the Alleghanies, treat man as he is in the influences of Nature, in himself, in his own inalienable rights, Advancing, to give the spirit and the traits of new Democratic ages, myself, personally, (Let the future behold them all in me-Me, so puzzling and contradictory Me, a Manhattanese, the most loving and arrogant of men;) I do not tell the usual facts, proved by records and documents, What I tell, (talking to every born American,) requires no further proof than he or she who will hear me, will furnish, by silently meditating alone; I press the pulse of the life that has hitherto seldom exhibited itself, but has generally sought concealment, (the great pride of man, in himself,) I illuminate feelings, faults, yearnings, hopes-I have come at last, no more ashamed nor afraid; Chanter of Personality, outlining a history yet to be, Line 4 (line 5 above) 1867: "I, habitué of the Alleghanies, treating man as he is in himself, in his own rights." Present reading in 1871. To Thee Old Cause. [I., p. 4.] 1871, page 11. Lines 8 and 9 added in 1881. Line 12, 1871: read "Around the idea of thee the strange sad war revolving." Line 14, 1871: read "With yet unknown results to come, for thrice a thousand years." Eidolons. [I., p. 5.] 1876, in Two Rivulets (vol. 2) page 17; transferred to Inscriptions in 1881. For Him I Sing. [I., p. 9.] 1871, page 10. When I Read the Book. [I., p. 9.] 1867, page 268; transferred to Inscriptions in 1871. For lines 5, 6, and 7, read in 1867: "As if you, O cunning Soul, did not keep your secret well!" Written in 1871 as now. Beginning my Studies. [I., p. 9.] 1867 in the Drum-Taps annex, page 18. (Drum-Taps, 1865.) Transferred to Inscriptions 1871, page 11. Line 3: "love" added 1871. Lines 5 and 6: read in Drum-Taps (1865) "I have never gone, and never wish'd to go, any farther, But stop and loiter all my life, to sing it in extatic songs." Written as now in 1871. Beginners. [I., p. 10.] 1860, page 416; 1871, page 362, in a group entitled Leaves of Grass; transferred to Inscriptions in 1881. To the States. [I., p. 10.] 1860: Walt Whitman's Caution, page 401; 1881 with present title and under Inscriptions. ப On Journeys through the States. [I., p. 11.] 1860: Chants Democratic, No. 17; dropped from 1867 edition, but reprinted in Passage to India; transferred to Inscriptions in 1881. For lines 1, 2, and 3 read in 1860: "Now we start hence, I with the rest, on our journeys through The States." Written in present form in 1871. Line 5, 1860: for "we" read "I." Line 6, 1860: for "have said " read "I have said." After line 11, 1860: read "Promulge real things-Never forget the equality of humankind, and never forget immortality." This was dropped in 1871. To a Certain Cantatrice. [I., p. 11.] 1860: To a Cantatrice, page 401; 1867 with present title, page 238; transferred to Inscriptions in 1881. Line 2, 1860: for "speaker" read "orator." Line 3, 1860: "One who should serve the good old cause, the progress and freedom of the race, the cause of my Soul." Present reading in 1867. Line 4 added in 1871. Me Imperturbe. [I., p. 12.] 1860: Chants Democratic, No. 18, page 91; 1867 Me Imperturbe, page 318; transferred to Inscriptions in 1881. Line 1, 1860: "Me imperturbe, ing in 1867. Me standing at ease in Nature." Present read After line 4, 1860, read: "Me private, or public, or menial, or solitary-all these subordinate, (I am eternally equal with the best-I am not subordinate.") This sentence dropped in 1881. p, first published in Drum-Taps, 1865; 1871: an ample Ship, carrying even her moonsails." Present reading in 1881. I Hear America Singing. [I., p. 13.] 1860: Chants Democratic, No. 20, page 192; 1867 I Hear America Singing, page 308; transferred to Inscriptions in 1881. Line 1, 1860: read "American mouth-songs!" Present reading 1867. Lines 10, 11: written as one line in 1860: "The day what belongs to the day-At night, the party of young fellows, robust, friendly, clean-blooded, singing with melodious voices, melodious thoughts." Present reading 1867. After last line, 1860: read "Come! some of you! still be flooding The States with hundreds and thousands of mouth-songs, fit for The States only." This line dropped in 1867. What Place is Besieged? [I., p. 14.] 1860: Calamus, No. 31, section 2, page 372; 1867: What Place is Besieged, page 158. The first part of the 1860 poem became the piece entitled in 1867 Here Sailor - later What Ship Puzzled at Sea. Still Though the One I Sing. [I., p. 14.] 1871, page 363; transferred to Inscriptions in 1881. Shut not Your Doors. [I., p. 14.] 1867: Shut not Your Doors to me Proud Libraries; first published in Drum-Taps, 1865; transferred to Inscriptions in 1881. The following was the original poem: "Shut not your doors to me, proud libraries, For that which was lacking among you all, yet needed most, I bring; A book I have made for your dear sake, O soldiers, And for you, O soul of man, and you, love of comrades; |