Spirit That Form’d This Scene
July 6, 2023Souvenirs Of Democracy
July 6, 2023Spain 1873-’74
OUT of the murk of heaviest clouds,
Out of the feudal wrecks, and heap’d-up skeletons of kings,
Out of that old entire European debris–the shatter’d mummeries,
Ruin’d cathedrals, crumble of palaces, tombs of priests,
Lo! Freedom’s features, fresh, undimm’d, look forth–the same
immortal face looks forth;
(A glimpse as of thy mother’s face, Columbia,
A flash significant as of a sword,
Beaming towards thee.)
Nor think we forget thee, Maternal;
Lag’d’st thou so long? Shall the clouds close again upon thee?
Ah, but thou hast Thyself now appear’d to us–we know thee;
Thou hast given us a sure proof, the glimpse of Thyself;
Thou waitest there, as everywhere, thy time.
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.