WE two boys together clinging, One the other never leaving, Up and down the roads going--North and South excursions making, Power enjoying--elbows stretching--fingers clutching, Arm'd and fearless--eating, drinking, sleeping, loving, No law less than ourselves owning--sailing, soldiering, thieving, threatening, Misers, menials, priests alarming--air breathing, water drinking, on the turf or the sea-beach dancing, Cities wrenching, ease scorning, statutes mocking, feebleness chasing, Fulfilling our foray. -Walt Whitman
Well of COURSE I've *heard* of him! And I'm familiar with the verse quoted. What I'm trying to get at here is, what is the essence of his nature? He's more than just a poet. There are lots of dingbat poets. For instance, Robert Frost was a homophobic jerk. Whitman was on a higher plane. What sort of a spiritual emanation was he?
But maybe you've answered the question. Maybe Patron Saint is as close as it gets.
Z
P.S. - Boogr is driving me crazy. Time and again I try to comment, and it swallows my thoughts. Augh! Z
Well as I've said Walt Whitman is one of the very very few persons from history that I would actually want to meet.
Also from what is known of him from his prose private, and public, and what his pals, and enemies have written about him makes me not only want to meet him, but be his pal.
You are so correct in that most from the past who may have done positive things were otherwise total shits.
Not so Walt...there's too much neat stuff said of him by those that knew him friends, and enemies. The enemies hated him for all the reasons they would have hated us.
His pals spoke of him as a cool decent weird contradictory smart holy dude. ...Sounds good to me.
Yes, there is something about Walt. In the photos there is this depth to his eyes. I once saw a photo by Edward Curtis of a Zuni Indian, a man in middle age. You could tell there was really somebody there behind those eyes - wide open spaces within. Walt's photos are like that.
For the flash of one horrid instant, I thought you were talking about Walt Disney. Thank heavens not!
ReplyDeleteWho was Uncle Walt? Was he a sage, a mage, a bard? Obviously he stands for great things, but I'm not sure I know exactly what.
Z
Z, you've never heard of Walt Whitman? I can't imagine that. He is our patron saint.
ReplyDeleteWE two boys together clinging,
ReplyDeleteOne the other never leaving,
Up and down the roads going--North and South excursions making,
Power enjoying--elbows stretching--fingers clutching,
Arm'd and fearless--eating, drinking, sleeping, loving,
No law less than ourselves owning--sailing, soldiering, thieving,
threatening,
Misers, menials, priests alarming--air breathing, water drinking, on
the turf or the sea-beach dancing,
Cities wrenching, ease scorning, statutes mocking, feebleness
chasing,
Fulfilling our foray.
-Walt Whitman
Well of COURSE I've *heard* of him! And I'm familiar with the verse quoted. What I'm trying to get at here is, what is the essence of his nature? He's more than just a poet. There are lots of dingbat poets. For instance, Robert Frost was a homophobic jerk. Whitman was on a higher plane. What sort of a spiritual emanation was he?
ReplyDeleteBut maybe you've answered the question. Maybe Patron Saint is as close as it gets.
Z
P.S. - Boogr is driving me crazy. Time and again I try to comment, and it swallows my thoughts. Augh! Z
Well as I've said Walt Whitman is one of the very very few persons from history that I would actually want to meet.
ReplyDeleteAlso from what is known of him from his prose private, and public, and what his pals, and enemies have written about him makes me not only want to meet him, but be his pal.
You are so correct in that most from the past who may have done positive things were otherwise total shits.
Not so Walt...there's too much neat stuff said of him by those that knew him friends, and enemies. The enemies hated him for all the reasons they would have hated us.
His pals spoke of him as a cool decent weird contradictory smart holy dude. ...Sounds good to me.
Yes, there is something about Walt. In the photos there is this depth to his eyes. I once saw a photo by Edward Curtis of a Zuni Indian, a man in middle age. You could tell there was really somebody there behind those eyes - wide open spaces within. Walt's photos are like that.
ReplyDeleteZ
Yep.
ReplyDelete