Walt Whitman and comments on some poems

Walt Whitman

Walt Whitman (1819-1892)

There is no doubt for Walt Whitman's influence on American modern poetic world, although there were some arguments that went against his open form and style; "his prophetic stance, his long lines and broad cultural ambitions, his frank sexuality, his incantatory lists, and his search for a representative and unifying American selfhood" (Nelson, 1). Born on Long Island, Walt Whitman grew up in Brooklyn. He worked several jobs, but ended up with journalist. In 1855, he published his masterpiece, Leaves of Grass, which underwent several editions. In 1862, nursing injured veterans of the American Civil War for several months changed his point of view. In 1873, a stroke hit him and made him to move to Camden, New Jersey, where he lived for rest of his life.


One's-Self I Sing (1867)
From the title, Walt Whitman said clearly about its theme, identity, from the word, "self." The poem is all about identities of American, men, and women. Not being aware of American History, being a British colony, around the war, America experienced massive changes, and through the poem, Walt Whitman spoke about the change. It is a poem not only for individual, but also for Everyone who lived in United States. In the second line, "the word En-Masse" pointed out that its for the group of people living in the states. The fourth line, "Not physiognomy alone nor brain alone is worthy for the Muse, I say the Form complete is worthier far," directly said that neither appearance nor thoughts really mattered, but the way all the people got together. It also claimed equality, in line five, "The Female equally with the Male I sing." With capitalization on two words, "Female" and "Male," he emphasized and make the same sound of both sexes. In the last stanza, he finalized the theme, with their own identities, they were good.