Author Archives: aboezer

Poetry vs. Prose

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When reading “Memories of President Lincoln” and excerpts from Specimen Days back-to-back, I was really intrigued by Whitman’s different “voices” or tone when comparing the pieces.

I really enjoyed reading the poems and found them to be quite sad, which makes sense due to the subject matter. Even with Whitman’s sometimes ethereal descriptions with the stars and the singing of the bird, I think it succeeded in showing the impact of the loss of Lincoln’s life. Section 15 in particular did a great job describing how the dead do not suffer but those they have left behind do. All that to say that I really liked them.

Obviously the subject matter within Specimen Days is grim and real, but Whitman is surprisingly composed and neutral about it for the most part. Everything is simply listed off without much lingering on any of the content. We are given (barebones) descriptions of the environments but we lose the introspection we get in Whitman’s poetry. It does make sense contextually as Whitman, and in turn the reader, is always moving and working and cannot afford to sit and grieve all that is happening. That is not to say that I dislike this style as I think it can be emotional in its distinct lack of emotions from Whitman. Yet by the end of the readings with “The White House by Moonlight,” Whitman’s poetic descriptions have returned. He takes the time to absorb and reflect on the environment around him, and notably does not mention anyone dying around him.

Audrey’s CS for January 22

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Hi there! If you are reading this, then you must have completed the task of reading Whitman’s longest poem. Congratulations! And if you haven’t read it, feel free to use these questions or thoughts to brainstorm as you read and return to share your own thoughts or responses. 

The title, “I Celebrate Myself” initially comes off as a pretty obvious topic for what the poem is going to be about. I could recall thinking, “how much does this guy have to say about himself that he keeps going for over 40 pages?” However, I was quickly surprised by how much love for both the unknown and the outside world was focused on. Any insecurities he could feel due to his lack of knowledge are romanticized as something to be thoughtful about.  

This began my first true (relevant) questioning about the content of the piece. Does the “I” and “myself” in the title actually refer to Whitman as an individual, or does it represent something else? How could this connect to the previously discussed idea of Whitman being the voice of the people or a representative for America?  

We discussed how Whitman was known for being a voice of the American people. Yet this piece seems to expand to an even broader idea through lines such as “One of the great nation, the nation of many nations—the smallest the same and the largest the same…” (page 23 of the digital archive). Even through short pieces such as “America,” Walt Whitman’s love for the country is evident. However, lines such as these suggest that he has a wider appreciation for nations apart from America. Would he offer his hand as he did in “Song of the Open Road” to someone who wasn’t an American? In this piece, the speaker, perhaps Whitman himself, says “I will not have a single person slighted or left away” (page 25 of the digital archive). 

In a broader sense, do you think Whitman’s statements reflect American patriotism or a more general love for humanity as a whole? Does this connect to the themes Whitman often writes about such as love and nature? Does Whitman seem to value nature as much as if not more than humanity? 

My final statement is another question (surprise!). Do you think this is an ode to Whitman’s love for humanity, self, America, or any other theme; or does this piece have a greater call to action for the reader? The piece ends as the speaker experiences something akin to death (as I interpreted it). There is a sudden influx of ellipses used in this section as if the speaker is slowing down and losing the words to describe what they are. There are now “contradictions” and “barbaric [yawping]” before being “[departed] into air” (page 55/56). We, the readers, or “you” are left with the speaker waiting for “you” after they are gone. Is that truly a celebration of self? Being left to be found with hardly any identity or meaning? 

Thanks for reading all my rambling questions! Obviously since this piece is so long, one can find a different idea to look at every time they read. Even if your thoughts deviate from the questions or thoughts I had, I’d love to hear anything and everything!