Glorious:
The Walt Whitman Archive
publishes Civil War letters
The great WWA has just posted his letters from the Civil War years, gathered with responses.
It’s a wonder to appreciate his prosaic mind and voice.
And the colloquies with poetry editors are hilarious, to wit:
Jan. 20, ’60.
Dear Sir,
Mr. House inform’d me that you accepted, and would publish, my “Bardic Symbols.” If so, would you, as soon as convenient, have it put in type, and send me the proof?
About the two lines:
(See from my dead lips the ooze exuding at last!
See the prismatic colors glistening and rolling!)I have in view, from them, an effect in the piece which I clearly feel, but cannot as clearly define. Though I should prefer them in, still, as I told Mr. House, I agree that you may omit them, if you decidedly wish to.
Yours &c
Walt WhitmanPortland av. near Myrtle | Brooklyn, N. Y.
ed says:
And now at the National Archive, 3000 new pages of attorney general correspondence in WW’s hand
http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/walt-whitman-the-poet-as-federal-worker/2011/04/12/AFdWdDSD_story.html
April 13th, 2011 at 11:41 am