To The States. - A poem by Walt Whitman

Walt Whitman - To The States.

WHY reclining, interrogating? Why myself and all drowsing? 
What deepening twilight! scum floating atop of the waters! 
Who are they, as bats and night-dogs, askant in the Capitol? 
What a filthy Presidentiad! (O south, your torrid suns! O north, your arctic freezings!) 
Are those really Congressmen? are those the great Judges? is that the President?
Then I will sleep awhile yet—for I see that These States sleep, for reasons; 
(With gathering murk—with muttering thunder and lambent shoots, we all duly awake, 
South, north, east, west, inland and seaboard, we will surely awake.)

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Added: Feb 7 2004 | Viewed: 5207 times |

Comments (3)

To The States. - Comments and Information
Poet: Walt Whitman Poem: 7. To The States. Volume: Leaves of Grass - 7. Leaves of Grass Year: Published/Written in 1900 Comment 3 of 3, added on November 7th, 2012 at 10:42 AM. dates of Leaves of Grass as said, 1900 is way too late for any Whitman poem to have been written - he died in 1892 the various "editions" of "Leaves of Grass" in which BOTH poems - the one erroneously entitled "To The States" and the REAL "To the States" that I quoted appeared very early, 1855 was first edition, 1892 was last - his "death-bed" edition Ira Huddleston Comment 2 of 3, added on November 6th, 2012 at 9:52 PM. erroneous date given for poem 1900 is way too late for when any leaves of grass poems were written Ira Huddleston from United States Comment 1 of 3, added on November 6th, 2012 at 9:37 PM. The REAL poem "To the States" The poem quoted as "To the States" is NOT the Walt Whitman poem entitled "To the States" - which goes: To the States - or any one of them - or any city of these states - RESIST MUCH, OBEY LITTLE For once unquestioning obedience - once fully enslaved - once fully enslaved - no nation, state, city of this earth ever after regains its liberty The poem that was quoted IS Whitman, it IS from Leaves of Grass - its a good poem - and BOTH are so appropriate tonight - but the quoted poem is simply NOT the one entitled "TO THE STATES" in Leaves of Grass Ira Huddleston from United States More Comments >> Are you looking for more information on this poem? Perhaps you are trying to analyze it? The poem, To The States., has received 3 comments. Click here to read them, and perhaps post a comment of your own.

Poem Info
Poet: Walt Whitman Poem: 7. To The States. Volume: Leaves of Grass - 7. Leaves of Grass Year: Published/Written in 1900 Last read: 2013-05-18 12:51:14 Viewed 5207 times. Added Feb 7 2004.

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