Walt Whitman in Mickle Street

The author, who nursed the poet during his final illness, offers a vivid, personal account of his small household on Mickle Street and of the devoted housekeeper Mary Oakes Davis. She recounts daily routines, visitors, neighborhood interactions, practical arrangements for care, financial and legal concerns, and episodes that illustrate the poet's temperament and habits. The narrative aims to correct misconceptions about domestic arrangements and to present truthful details drawn from diaries, correspondence, and close observation. Appendices consider public memorials and reflections on the poet's last years, while the overall tone emphasizes unvarnished recollection and compassionate service.