Full Of Life, Now
July 6, 2023From My Last Years
July 6, 2023From Paumanok Starting
FROM Paumanock starting, I fly like a bird,
Around and around to soar, to sing the idea of all;
To the north betaking myself, to sing there arctic songs,
To Kanada, till I absorb Kanada in myself–to Michigan then,
To Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota, to sing their songs, (they are
inimitable
Then to Ohio and Indiana to sing theirs–to Missouri and Kansas and
Arkansas, to sing theirs,
To Tennessee and Kentucky–to the Carolinas and Georgia, to sing
theirs,
To Texas, and so along up toward California, to roam accepted
everywhere;
To sing first, (to the tap of the war-drum, if need be,)
The idea of all–of the western world, one and inseparable.
And then the song of each member of These States.
Walt Whitman
Walt Whitman (1819-1892) was an American poet, essayist, and journalist, often referred to as the "father of free verse". His best-known work, "Leaves of Grass," is a celebration of American democracy, individualism, and the common people. Whitman's poetry also explored themes of sexuality and the body. He is considered one of the most influential poets in American literature.