Description:

Whitman Walt

Walt Whitman ALS: "as I sit here late night Dec 31... a storm out... tomorrow a new year", to Gabriel Sarrazin, French Poet & Translator


ALS postcard, 5" x 3", postmarked, "Camden /Jan / 91" with the third being illegible. Signed by Walt Whiteman as "Walt Whitman". Boldly scripted with strong contrast entirely in his own hand. Front slight discoloration from being in an album of some sort with dime size spot, with verso maintaining one small spot of smeared ink, else near fine.


Whitman's letter appears reflective on his life with the advent of the New Year. The postcard was written on a late and stormy night, Dec 31, 1890. His health was in rapid decline at point and he references such in his not "-Am here yet + much the same". However Whitman, with his strong constitution and relently attitude of looking forward regardless of his health, was still determined to compose and publish "When I publish anything new I will send you"

His reflective letter to Gabriel Sarrazin is shown in full below:


"Camden New Jersey US America


Thot(thought) I wd(would) send a short word as I sit here late night Dec 31

'90 + a storm out - + tomorrow a

new year beginning (+ I pray it

will be one lucky + blessed to you)

- Am here yet + much the same

-When I publish anything new I will

send you - If you receive this write

+ give me directions - God Bless you.


Walt Whitman"


Called America's first "poet of democracy", a name for Whitman which reflected his ability to write in a singularly American character. Among the most influential US poets, often called the "father of free verse", his work was very controversial, particularly "Leaves of Grass" (1855) which was described as obscene for its overt sexuality. He worked as a government clerk and as a volunteer nurse during the Civil War. "Leaves of Grass", published with his own money, was an attempt to reach out to the common person with an American epic. He continued expanding and revising it until his death.


There is a distinct contrast between Whitman's idealized notions of the human body as expressed in his literary work and the actual state of his health as it evolved over the course of his life. The many revisions of Leaves of Grass did not so much parallel his decline in health as much as reinforce his original conception of the natural human being as the divine reflection of the cosmos. Over time this idea as an essential theme of his work began to take precedence over others, serving as both his conception of America's unique characteristic as a people and the archetype of his own self-created myth for the model of healthy masculinity.


As a consequence, the health-imbued persona of mythic proportions he projected in his work fused with new and various aspects of his self-created image as healer in each newly revised edition of the work. Harold Aspiz believes the first three editions of Leaves of Grass illustrate a merger of what he terms the "fact and invention" of Whitman's self-portrayal as the self-endowed symbol of his own magnificent body. His image as "one of the roughs" in the first edition transforms in the second into a magnetic "folk-evangelist," in the third into a "reincarnated Adam" ready to bear healthy children, and in the fourth into the "healer-camerado." With each new edition, the body of the poet is used less and less as a metaphor for the physical vitality that was integral to his philosophy. By the time of this letter, Whitman was already partially paralyzed. Whitman spent his last years in Camden, New Jersey. As the end of 1891 approached, he prepared a final edition of "Leaves of Grass", the "Deathbed Edition;" he

died in 1892, about 2 years after he penned this postcard to Sarrazin.


This incredible letter/postcard demonstrating Whitman's staunch perseverance to ignore the short comings of his long term health issues and clearly notes his phenomenal eternal positive energy he had for life. A fantastic piece.



WE PROVIDE IN-HOUSE SHIPPING WORLDWIDE.

Accepted Forms of Payment:

American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Money Order / Cashiers Check, Paypal, Personal Check, Visa, Wire Transfer

Shipping

We do our own in-house worldwide shipping!
Applicable shipping and handling charges will be added to the invoice. ***PLEASE NOTE: IF YOU WOULD LIKE YOUR SHIPMENT TO BE SENT TO AN ADDRESS OTHER THAN THE ONE YOU HAVE ON FILE WITH INVALUABLE, YOU WILL NEED TO INFORM US OF THIS AS SOON AS PAYMENT IS SUBMITTED FOR YOUR WINNINGS. ALSO, ALL PACKAGES SHIPPED FROM OUR OFFICES REQUIRE A DIRECT SIGNATURE UPON DELIVERY.*** Shipping and handling costs are competitive as we maintain discounted contracts with FedEx. If you have any questions, contact University Archives prior to bidding. After payment has been made in full, University Archives will ship your purchase within 5 business days following receipt of full payment for item. We currently ship via FedEx but if your purchase is shipping to a P.O. Box, we ship via USPS. All items are insured. We ship from our offices in Westport, CT. We may opt to use a third party shipper for very fragile, bulky or oversized items. Items requiring third party shipping will be denoted in the item description. Packages shipped internationally will have full value declared on shipping form. International buyers will be responsible for any customs fees incurred.

Please remember that the buyer is responsible for all shipping costs from University Archives' offices in Westport, CT to the buyer's door. Please see full Terms and Conditions of Sale.

December 5, 2018 10:30 AM EST
Wilton, CT, US

University Archives

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 25% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $299 $20
$300 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $2,999 $200
$3,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 + $5,000