Whitman's "Song of Myself"

[fanuzzir]

Of all the poems in Leaves of Grass, "Song of Myself" will be the poem that speaks to me and moves me most. I still remember the first time I "got" this poem; I felt like it was a living thing, and that Whitman had somehow reached out to me. I still don't think I've ever read something that made its author's presence so real. I'm hoping that readers share my fascination with this poem and want to join a discussion.

[Choisya]

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fanuzzir wrote:
Of all the poems in Leaves of Grass, "Song of Myself" will be the poem that speaks to me and moves me most. I still remember the first time I "got" this poem; I felt like it was a living thing, and that Whitman had somehow reached out to me. I still don't think I've ever read something that made its author's presence so real. I'm hoping that readers share my fascination with this poem and want to join a discussion.

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Is Song of Myself the title? What is the first line? My search of the online version did not find it. Being a Brit, I am not familiar with Whitman but would like to learn more of him. Thanks.

[fanuzzir]

"Song of Myself is the name of the poem, and it is included in the larger volume of poems called Leaves of Grass. The first lines, "I celebrate myself and sing myself,/And what I assume you shall assume, For every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you."
Maybe you can google some of that. It's a pretty astonishing start, I think.

[Everyman]

You might alert readers to the potential problem that if they are reading an earlier version of Leaves of Grass, they won't be able to find the poems by title, because Whitman didn't title the poems in the first editions.

[Choisya]

Thanks. I am reading an online version and found the poem by searching for the first line. It is a very introspective poem yet full of a strange kind of self-confidence.

[fanuzzir]

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Choisya wrote:
Thanks. I am reading an online version and found the poem by searching for the first line. It is a very introspective poem yet full of a strange kind of self-confidence.

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This is a very canny comment. Whitman is so totally egotistical, listing every sensation and desire that occurs to him. Yet he wants you, the reader, to feel exactly what he is feeling. When he says, "Have you practis'd so long to learn to read," in Stanza 3, I get the feeling he is daring us to put down our sharpened pencils and minds and comprehend the world as he sees, hears, smells, desires it.

[mattwelches]

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fanuzzir wrote:
Of all the poems in Leaves of Grass, "Song of Myself" will be the poem that speaks to me and moves me most. I still remember the first time I "got" this poem; I felt like it was a living thing, and that Whitman had somehow reached out to me. I still don't think I've ever read something that made its author's presence so real. I'm hoping that readers share my fascination with this poem and want to join a discussion.

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Now, it has been a long time since I have read Leaves of Grass, but I always felt like the poem was dealing with a sort of transcendental philosophy, like maybe the entire universe is interconnected and related in a very real and strong way.

[fanuzzir]

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mattwelches wrote:

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fanuzzir wrote:
Of all the poems in Leaves of Grass, "Song of Myself" will be the poem that speaks to me and moves me most. I still remember the first time I "got" this poem; I felt like it was a living thing, and that Whitman had somehow reached out to me. I still don't think I've ever read something that made its author's presence so real. I'm hoping that readers share my fascination with this poem and want to join a discussion.

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Now, it has been a long time since I have read Leaves of Grass, but I always felt like the poem was dealing with a sort of transcendental philosophy, like maybe the entire universe is interconnected and related in a very real and strong way.

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There is a strong sense of interconnectedness in the essay--there are long lists of random events and details that don't go together until they are put into his poem. He seems to be saying that things are connected and make sense for us as a whole if we read about them in his poem. That is, through him. Is he trying to save us or annoint himself?

[willowy]

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Now, it has been a long time since I have read Leaves of Grass, but I always felt like the poem was dealing with a sort of transcendental philosophy, like maybe the entire universe is interconnected and related in a very real and strong way.

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There is a strong sense of interconnectedness in the essay--there are long lists of random events and details that don't go together until they are put into his poem. He seems to be saying that things are connected and make sense for us as a whole if we read about them in his poem. That is, through him. Is he trying to save us or annoint himself?

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I don't think he was necessarily trying to annoint himself (though it came off that way sometimes!).



'I celebrate myself, and sing myself,
And what I assume you shall assume,
For every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you.'


I think he was trying to say that together him and the reader will explore the "interconnectedness" of humanity, nature, and the self through what he is writting. I don't know if he is trying to save us or just trying to show us the common link in all humans and that we all are equal.

I've read that he was part of the American Transcendentalist movement at that time and by what I've read in Leaves of Grass that seems to have really influenced his work.

[fanuzzir]

From section 42 of "Song of Myself": "I acknowledge the duplicates of myself, the weakes and shallowest is deathless with me, What I do and say the same waits for them, Every thought that flounders in me the same flounders in them. I know perfectly well my my own egotism, Know my omnivorous lines and must not write any less, And would fetch you whoever you are flush with myself."
What do you all think?

[donyskiw]

These lines also made me think of the oneness of all creation and I remembered as I was reading that Whitman had been one of the Trnascendentalists.

Denise

[donyskiw]

I think he is trying to save us and what he is trying to save us from is all the stuff we miss out on if we just go through life ignoring things and not noticing all many experiences there are in life.

Denise

[fanuzzir]

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donyskiw wrote:
I think he is trying to save us and what he is trying to save us from is all the stuff we miss out on if we just go through life ignoring things and not noticing all many experiences there are in life.

Denise

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Denise, I also hear him sayng that people need to see the connection between them that realy exists; that there is a fundamdental need for community that only poetry can satisfy. Even in the mid-nineteenth century, he must have seen the same symptoms of social disconnection as we all see now. Bob

[donyskiw]

Bob,
I also think this was a big part of Transcendentalist belief.

Denise

[fanuzzir]

You'd be surprised; Whitman did alot on his own without any affiliation with existing literary groups like the Transcedentalists. I think he might have found his own version of their beliefs using things they never would have considered: like the hustle and bustle of New YOrk city, the throngs of people on a ferry, etc. He also imagined that scene of looking on the men swimming (29 bathers). The whole poem is full of imagined scenes like that.

[leakybucket]

I really would have liked to have joined this group. But I didn't know it was here until you mentioned your love of Whitman in Moby Dick. Then I noticed it in the small print at the top. It certainly wasn't prominently mentioned somewhere so people who weren't already buried in the board would know about it. It isn't a "menu" so you can't find it that way. And I usually quit wading through long groups at about page 9. It takes way too long.

I signed up for the old BNU class but didn't have time to join in at that time. But I did print out the lecture notes and ordered an anthology of Whitman's poems. I figured I would be ready for the next time around--which will never come. But here it is--of sorts. I still have the lecture notes but now not much time. I would have made the time if I had known but the discussion is about dead now and nobody knows it is here--at least newcomers don't so there won't will be new people joining for an "asynchronous" conversation.

I also have a second love--opera. Apparently Whitman did too. I got Faner's book "Walt Whitman and Opera" but never got around to reading it. Figured I would save it until the class was given again.

I don't know if I could possible find my way back here again. It is presently on page 20. Besides I have this "synchronous" brain and really don't like talking to myself. I even hate seeing a movie if I have missed the beginning. I'm just too late.

But poetry often can be done in small chunks. Maybe if I can find some time I will read some of it. Maybe if I can find my way back here I will even post something or respond to a very old post that no one cares or knows about anymore.

I hope someday they put up Whitman a board--then I will be ready.

Bucky

[willowy]

Bucky-

You won't be reading/discussing alone! I always check the posts on here for anything new on Whitman. I personally didn't read it all the way through like Denise did, I read poems that I had heard about and had always mean to read, I reread some of my personal favorites, and the ones that were suggested by other readers. I think the Whitman thread was the main thread when this new format started up in October, so its been on here for a few months and has since been moved down as we've discussed other things. But I now have a love for Whitman so post your favorites or you can discuss or read the ones we have listed as our favorites and I'm sure you'll find lots of us will be posting!

[donyskiw]

I missed it when it was a BNU class. I thought I'd get around to it eventually. I'll read your posts here.

Denise

[gaylebrandeis]

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fanuzzir wrote:
Of all the poems in Leaves of Grass, "Song of Myself" will be the poem that speaks to me and moves me most. I still remember the first time I "got" this poem; I felt like it was a living thing, and that Whitman had somehow reached out to me. I still don't think I've ever read something that made its author's presence so real. I'm hoping that readers share my fascination with this poem and want to join a discussion.

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What a delight to find this discussion! My novel, Self Storage, which comes out next Tuesday from Ballantine, is structured around Whitman's Song of Myself. As I wrote the novel, I loved immersing myself in Song of Myself over and over again. The poem continues to be so alive for me. I hope Whitman will speak to you through my work!

[Redcatlady]

Maybe this group will do your book here. Sounds interesting.

Melissa/Redcatlady

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gaylebrandeis wrote:

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fanuzzir wrote:
Of all the poems in Leaves of Grass, "Song of Myself" will be the poem that speaks to me and moves me most. I still remember the first time I "got" this poem; I felt like it was a living thing, and that Whitman had somehow reached out to me. I still don't think I've ever read something that made its author's presence so real. I'm hoping that readers share my fascination with this poem and want to join a discussion.

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What a delight to find this discussion! My novel, Self Storage, which comes out next Tuesday from Ballantine, is structured around Whitman's Song of Myself. As I wrote the novel, I loved immersing myself in Song of Myself over and over again. The poem continues to be so alive for me. I hope Whitman will speak to you through my work!

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