Hast Never Come To Thee An Hour
July 6, 2023Good-Bye My Fancy!
July 6, 2023Had I the Choice
Had I the choice to tally greatest bards,
To limn their portraits, stately, beautiful, and emulate at will,
Homer with all his wars and warriors–Hector, Achilles, Ajax,
Or Shakespeare’s woe-entangled Hamlet, Lear, Othello–Tennyson’s fair ladies,
Meter or wit the best, or choice conceit to wield in perfect rhyme, delight of singers;
These, these, O sea, all these I’d gladly barter,
Would you the undulation of one wave, its trick to me transfer,
Or breathe one breath of yours upon my verse,
And leave its odor there.
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.