Posted on 05/31/2023 12:19:25 PM PDT by Ozguy1945
Walt Whitman was born on this date in West Hills, New York, in 1819, 204 years ago. Few can touch him for the greatness he achieved in his use of the English language.
Wikipedia states: "Art historian Mary Berenson says, "You cannot really understand America without Walt Whitman, without Leaves of Grass ..... He has expressed that civilization, 'up to date,' as he would say, and no student of the philosophy of history can do without him." "
Here are some of Whitman's own words which I believe justify Berenson's assessment.
“I too am not a bit tamed, I too am untranslatable: I sound my barbaric yawp over the roofs of the world.”
“Resist much, obey little.”
“Let your soul stand cool and composed before a million universes.”
“And I know that the hand of God is the promise of my own, And I know that the spirit of God is the brother of my own, And that all the men ever born are also my brothers, and the women my sisters and lovers, And that a kelson of the creation is love.”
(Excerpt) Read more at freedom-demokrasi-and-civilised-humanity.com ...
As an old timer on FR, when I think of Walt Whitman, I think back to the early days of this forum.
Bill Clinton gave Monica Lewinsky a gift of his Leaves of Grass
Of course that may have been the only on G-rated part of the exchange.
Bill gave Hillary a copy as well. Word was she was not happy when she found out he gave a copy to Monica. But then, is Hillary ever happy? Also wonder if Bill bought them in bulk?
O Captain! my Captain! our fearful trip is done,
The ship has weather’d every rack, the prize we sought is won,
The port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting,
While follow eyes the steady keel, the vessel grim and daring;
But O heart! heart! heart!
O the bleeding drops of red,
Where on the deck my Captain lies,
Fallen cold and dead.
... and he a drawer full of trinkets, costume jewelry, to bestow as "spontaneous" gifts.
He’d love the LGBTetc movement
Walt was “out, proud, and flamboyant.” There was more tolerance of such stuff until the Victorian movement hit these shores.
He’d love the LGBTetc movement
Lets Get Back To Walt .......
Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman, all by itself...
I am with you, you men and women of a generation, or ever so many generations hence, Just as you feel when you look on the river and sky, so I felt, Just as any of you is one of a living crowd, I was one of a crowd, Just as you are refresh’d by the gladness of the river and the bright flow, I was refresh’d, Just as you stand and lean on the rail, yet hurry with the swift current, I stood yet was hurried, Just as you look on the numberless masts of ships and the thick-stemm’d pipes of steamboats, I look’d.
Crossing The Brooklyn Ferry - 1856
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