Publications: "As a Strong Bird on Pinions Free" was first published in the New York Herald on 26 June 1872. Later printed with seven other poems in pamphlet, As a Strong Bird on Pinions Free (1872), and included as a supplement bound with Two Rivulets (1876). WW changed the title to "Thou Mother with Thy Equal Brood," added a new opening stanza and made further revisions, incorporating the poem into Leaves of Grass (1881-82).
Ownership: Owen D. Young

Physical Description

Extent: 13 leaves
[13 written sides], with envelope in Whitman's hand: MS of "As a Strong Bird" as it came back from the printing office presented to R. J. Hinton by W. W." Long note on first page "Directions to printer" in red ink at top of page.

Languages

English

Identifiers

NYPL Catalog ID (bnumber): b15520479
Archives ID: 19100
Digital Gallery Image ID: m_1169224
Digital Gallery Image ID: m_1169226
Digital Gallery Image ID: m_1169227
Digital Gallery Image ID: m_1169228
Digital Gallery Image ID: m_1169229
Digital Gallery Image ID: m_1169230
Digital Gallery Image ID: m_1169231
Digital Gallery Image ID: m_1169232
Digital Gallery Image ID: m_1169233
Digital Gallery Image ID: m_1169234
Digital Gallery Image ID: m_1169235
Digital Gallery Image ID: m_1169236
Digital Gallery Image ID: m_1169237
Digital Gallery Image ID: m_1169238
Digital Gallery Image ID: m_1169239
Digital Gallery Image ID: m_1169240
Digital Gallery Image ID: m_1169241
Digital Gallery Image ID: m_1169242
Digital Gallery Image ID: m_1169243
Digital Gallery Image ID: m_1169244
Digital Gallery Image ID: m_1169245
Digital Gallery Image ID: m_1169246
Digital Gallery Image ID: m_1169247
Digital Gallery Image ID: m_1169248
Digital Gallery Image ID: m_1169249
Digital Gallery Image ID: m_1169250
Digital Gallery Image ID: m_1169251
Digital Gallery Image ID: m_1169252
Digital Gallery Image ID: m_1169253
Digital Gallery Image ID: m_1169225
Other local Identifier: 223811B
Universal Unique Identifier (UUID): 8bdbe5a0-22dd-0130-f5b9-58d385a7b928

Rights

The copyright and related rights status of this item has been reviewed by The New York Public Library, but we were unable to make a conclusive determination as to the copyright status of the item. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use.

Type Of Resource

Text

Cite this item

MLA format

Henry W. and Albert A. Berg Collection of English and American Literature, The New York Public Library. ""As a Strong Bird on Pinions free," holograph poem." The New York Public Library Digital Collections. 1872. https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/8bdbe5a0-22dd-0130-f5b9-58d385a7b928

APA format

Henry W. and Albert A. Berg Collection of English and American Literature, The New York Public Library. (1872). "As a Strong Bird on Pinions free," holograph poem. Retrieved from https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/8bdbe5a0-22dd-0130-f5b9-58d385a7b928

Chicago/Turabian Format

Henry W. and Albert A. Berg Collection of English and American Literature, The New York Public Library. ""As a Strong Bird on Pinions free," holograph poem." New York Public Library Digital Collections. Accessed December 16, 2025. https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/8bdbe5a0-22dd-0130-f5b9-58d385a7b928

Wikipedia citation

<ref name=NYPL>{{cite web | url=https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/8bdbe5a0-22dd-0130-f5b9-58d385a7b928 | title= (text) "As a Strong Bird on Pinions free," holograph poem. (1872) | author=Digital Collections, The New York Public Library | accessdate=December 16, 2025 | publisher=The New York Public Library, Astor, Lenox, and Tilden Foundations}}</ref>