To fly in the clouds and winds with me, and play with the measureless light. From Paumanok starting I fly like a bird, Around and around to soar and sing of all, To the north betaking myself to sing there arctic songs, To Kanada till I absorb Kanada in myself, to Michigan then, To Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota, to sing their songs (they are inimitable;) I use the wings of the land-bird and use the wings of the sea-bird, and look down as from a height, ... From Paumanok Starting I Fly Like a Bird. The final version is that of the 1881 edition. Walt Whitman: Drum-Taps. From Paumanok Starting I Fly Like a Bird From Paumanok starting I fly like a bird, Around and around to soar to sing the idea of all, To the north betaking myself to sing there arctic songs, To Kanada till I absorb Kanada in myself, to Michigan then, To Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota, to sing their songs, (they are inimitable;) FROM PAUMANOK STARTING I FLY LIKE A BIRD. From Paumanok starting I fly like a bird, Around and around to soar to sing the idea of all, To the north betaking myself to sing there arctic songs, To Kanada till I absorb Kanada in myself, to Michigan then, To Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota, to sing their songs, (they are inimitable;) F ROM Paumanok starting, I fly like a bird, Around and around to soar, to sing the idea of all; To the north betaking myself, to sing there arctic songs. FROM Paumanock starting, I fly like a bird, Around and around to soar, to sing the idea of all; To the north betaking myself, to sing there arctic songs, To Kanada, till I absorb Kanada in myself—to Michigan then, To Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota, to sing their songs, (they are inimitable;) 5 To Kanada, 'till I absorb Kanada in myself—to Michi-gan then, 1860 Full of Life Now " Full of life now, compact, visible," Leaves of Grass (Book V. Calamus) 1860 Germs FROM Paumanock starting, I fly like a bird, Around and around to soar, to sing the idea of all; To the north betaking myself, to sing there arctic songs, To Kanada, till I absorb Kanada in myself--to Michigan then, To Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota, to sing their songs, (they are inimitable;) Then to Ohio and Indiana to sing theirs--to Missouri and Kansas and Arkansas, to sing theirs, To … Drum-Taps) From Pent-Up Aching Rivers " From pent-up aching rivers," Leaves of Grass (Book IV. From Paumanok Starting I Fly Like a Bird " From Paumanok starting I fly like a bird," Leaves of Grass (Book XXI. From Paumanok starting I fly Hke a bird, Around and around to soar to sing the idea of all, To the north betaking myself to sing there arctic songs, To Kanada till I absorb Kanada in myself, to Michigan then, To Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota, to sing their songs, (they are inimitable;) This poem is Whitman’s literary manifesto, an elaborate and often confounding statement of his poetic project. Children of Adam.) “Starting from Paumanok” first appeared in the 1860 edition of Leaves of Grass and was modified several times. This is the purpose of “Starting from Paumanok.” Paumanok is the Native American name for Long Island, a place where Whitman spent much time during his childhood visiting family. Starting from fish-shape Paumanok where I was born, Well-begotten, and rais'd by a perfect mother, ... From Paumanok Starting I Fly Like a Bird 145.