Walt Whitman
Steve Nelson
The pleasures of heaven are with me and the pains of hell are
with me,
The first I graft and increase upon myself, the latter I trans-
late into a new tongue."
Is anybody else out there a total Whitman lover? If so, what are some of your
favorite works by him. I think "To You" is probably my favorite poem ever. I
read it every day.
-Steve
--
Marianne M Fenn
Steve:
It is so hard to chose, but I will always love part 5 of "Song of Myself"
as I did the first time I read it,
...
"Loafe with me on the grass, loose the stop from your throat,
Not words, not music or rhyme I want, not custom or lecture, not
even the best,
Only the lull I like, the hum of your valved voice."
Have you ever read William Heyen's "The Chestnut Rain". I just had
occassion to read this 52 section poem which recalls Whitman so
beautifully in some places. I really enjoyed it. Especially the poem
entitled "Heartwood" which is so much like Whitman's part 5. Thanks for
bringing him to the conversation. I feel like today will be a good one!
Mari
Eddie C. McGuire
the bathers section of "Song of Myself," and, in theory at least, I guess
I like Whitman. However, in practice, I restrict myself almost entirely
to the 1955 edition of _Leaves of Grass_ because I absolutely despise the
unnecessarily bloated later editions. I admit that there are many
excellent poems added throughout his career, but there are too many
pipings of the same notes put too close together in the later, gigantic
editions. The "death bed version," for example, has the admittedly
beautiful (and, quite possibly not coincidentally, brief) "To You."
Unfortunately, in the same "Inscriptions" division of the book, there are
about 25 other shorter poems with generally the same theme--occasional
glimmers of brilliance from time to time, yes, but how many of these
things does he need to write. Especially since the same section also
includes "Song of Myself" (and "Starting from Paumonok," for which I
don't particularly care, anyway), which explores most of the themes
present in the briefer (and, in order of composition, mostly later,
though they appear before "Song of Myself" in the text) poems.
Chaff is to be expected in any prolific poet's work, of course.
But it's the arrangement of that chaff within the _Leaves_ (and the way
that arrangement points out the way that Whitman couldn't let a theme go,
even after he'd done it well, but instead kept doing it until he'd done
it to death (and then did it some more).
Believe it or not, I really do like Old Walt. I think that's why
this sort of thing bugs me so much.
Eddie McGuire
Roberta Ellis
any of Whitman's work. A poem someone reads every day would be interesting.
Regards
Roberta
Joe Zychik
> On Tue, 14 Mar 1995, Steve Nelson wrote:
>
> > "I am the poet of the Body and I am the poet of the Soul,
> > The pleasures of heaven are with me and the pains of hell are
> > with me,
> > The first I graft and increase upon myself, the latter I trans-
> > late into a new tongue."
> >
> > Is anybody else out there a total Whitman lover? If so, what are some of your
> > favorite works by him. I think "To You" is probably my favorite poem ever. I
> > read it every day.
> > -Steve
> >
> > --
> >
> Steve:
>
> It is so hard to chose, but I will always love part 5 of "Song of Myself"
> as I did the first time I read it,
> "Loafe with me on the grass, loose the stop from your throat,
> Not words, not music or rhyme I want, not custom or lecture, not
> even the best,
> Only the lull I like, the hum of your valved voice."
>
> Have you ever read William Heyen's "The Chestnut Rain". I just had
> occassion to read this 52 section poem which recalls Whitman so
> beautifully in some places. I really enjoyed it. Especially the poem
> entitled "Heartwood" which is so much like Whitman's part 5. Thanks for
> bringing him to the conversation. I feel like today will be a good one!
>
> Mari
>
>>>>
If memory serves me correctly it was a poem about how one
little pin on a map is moved during war and the lives that
are effected by it.
P.S. To come across people who want to discuss whitman - I can
just say thanks.
jz
Glen Miller
few months ago? I was in heaven (since he is my favorite poet). It's so
refreshing to read poetry that glorifies the human spirit. I get sick of
all this teenage/adult angst and suicide stuff. Life isn't about being
miserable all the time. He is inspiring. My favorites are probably the
part about the sea in "Song of Myself" and "To You", though it is hard to
choose a favorite out of so many beautiful poems. My name is Meredith
(not Glen). If you ever want to discuss Whitman with me, E-Mail me at
jgo...@gate.net or a018...@bcfreenet.seflin.lib.fl.us.
--
Glen Miller
Palm Beach County Cultural Council
Information Specialist
a018...@bcfreenet.seflin.lib.fl.us
MadTexan
spent extensive time with Leaves of Grass about two years ago. I like his
optimism the most I suppose. And his far ranging spirit of America.
Morris M Jackson
I believe the line is:
I sound my barbaric yawp over the rooftops of the world
(There is probably at least one word wrong)
It's from the "Song of Myself" which is in Leaves of Grass
Morris
Grayson Allen
>From: mmja...@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Morris M Jackson)
>Subject: Re: Walt Whitman
>Date: 29 Mar 1995 14:37:28 GMT
> Morris
Yeah. Concerning this line ("I sound my barbaric yawp over the roofs of the
world"), if my memory serves me correctly, I would say it's near the end of--I
think--the twenty first numbered stanza (or thereabouts at the end of one of
the other verses numbered in the twenties). Song of Myself, after
all, is a long poem, even when viewed in terms of the Leaves of Grass, the
entire book itself. Finding one line is like finding a needle in a haystack,
but it is there (obviously).
Grayson
JONG J.DE
Whitman is important. A poem of his is being cited, it tells about 'giving
a great YAWP' does anyone know from which poem this is I could not find it
in Leaves of Grass.
Jeroen
JONG J.DE
>
> I believe the line is:
>
> I sound my barbaric yawp over the rooftops of the world
>
>
> (There is probably at least one word wrong)
>
> It's from the "Song of Myself" which is in Leaves of Grass
>
>
> Morris
>
Jeroen
also known in several newsgroups of KUB (=Tilburg University) as Neorej
JONG J.DE
> In article <3lbrb8$j...@charm.magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu> mmja...@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Morris M Jackson) writes:
> >From: mmja...@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Morris M Jackson)
> >Subject: Re: Walt Whitman
> >Date: 29 Mar 1995 14:37:28 GMT
>
>
>
> > I sound my barbaric yawp over the rooftops of the world
>
>
> > (There is probably at least one word wrong)
>
> > It's from the "Song of Myself" which is in Leaves of Grass
>
>
> > Morris
>
> world"), if my memory serves me correctly, I would say it's near the end of--I
> think--the twenty first numbered stanza (or thereabouts at the end of one of
> the other verses numbered in the twenties). Song of Myself, after
> all, is a long poem, even when viewed in terms of the Leaves of Grass, the
> entire book itself. Finding one line is like finding a needle in a haystack,
> but it is there (obviously).
>
> Grayson
>
Leonard Roy Von Morze
: > spent extensive time with Leaves of Grass about two years ago. I like his
: > optimism the most I suppose. And his far ranging spirit of America.
: >
:
: In the great film Dead Poets Society starring Robin Williams, Walt
: Whitman is important. A poem of his is being cited, it tells about 'giving
: a great YAWP' does anyone know from which poem this is I could not find it
: in Leaves of Grass.
:
: Jeroen
Came across this passage recently as I was studying for a midterm. The
entire passage is magnificent and worth hearing again. So here goes:
The spotted hawk swoops by and accuses me, he complains of my gab and my
loitering.
I too am not a bit tamed, I too am untranslatable,
I sound my barbaric yawp over the roofs of the world.
The last scud of day holds back for me,
It flings my likeness after the rest and true as any on the shadow'd wilds,
It coaxes me to the vapor and the dusk.
I depart as air, I shake my white locks at the runaway sun,
I effuse my flesh in eddies, and drift it in lacy jags.
I bequeath myself to the dirt to grow from the grass I love,
If you want me again look for me under your boot-soles.
You will hardly know who I am or what I mean,
But I shall be good health to you nevertheless,
And filter and fibre your blood.
Failing to fetch me at first keep encouraged,
Missing me one place search another,
I stop somewhere waiting for you.
("Song of Myself," canto 52, from the 1855 _Leaves of Grass_, I think)
Marvellously egocentric stuff. --Len
