This was the "Deathbed edition," the ninth volume of Leaves of Grass published in Whitman's lifetime. The poems are not necessarily in the order of their writing. Whitman himself states on the copyright page, "As there are now several editions of L. of G., different texts and dates, I wish to say that I prefer and recommend this present one, complete, for future printing, if there should be any; a copy and fac-simile, indeed, of the text of these 438 pages." He was explicit in his injunction to his literary executor, Horace Traubel, regarding the disposition of poems after his death, stating that whatever may be added will be supplementary and that L. of G. should be left complete as he left it. BAL 21441. Myerson A2.7.1 (second issue).
