A Song of Myself ~ Vanity is cool Week 3

SONG OF MYSELF

                          1

 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 loafe and invite my soul,

 I lean and loafe at my ease observing a spear of summer grass.

 My tongue, every atom of my blood, form'd from this soil,

        this air,

 Born here of parents born here from parents the same, and

        their parents the same,

 I, now thirty-seven years old in perfect health begin,

 Hoping to cease not till death.

 Creeds and schools in abeyance,

 Retiring back a while sufficed at what they are, but never

        forgotten,

 I harbor for good or bad, I permit to speak at every hazard,

 Nature without check with original energy.

                          2

 Houses and rooms are full of perfumes, the shelves are

         crowded with perfumes,  

 I breathe the fragrance myself and know it and like it,

 The distillation would intoxicate me also, but I shall not

         let it.

 The atmosphere is not a perfume, it has no taste of the

         distillation, it is odorless,

 It is for my mouth forever, I am in love with it,

 I will go to the bank by the wood and become undisguised

         and naked,

 I am mad for it to be in contact with me.

Read full version:  Whitman, Walt. "A Song to Myself." Poets.org. Academy of American Poets, n.d. Web. http://www.poets.org/poetsorg/poem/song-myself-i-ii-vi-lii

I thoroughly enjoyed reading his poem this week due to the nature of the egotistical self fulling style which undoubtedly people in the world have today.  Whitman celebrates himself with such charisma and without a doubt, it truly made me laugh at the arrogance of Whitman.  He sure had some brass ones when he wrote this. 

When reading about this “Song of Myself” controversy hovered over this writing due to the sexual nature and eroticism which was scandalous and did indeed leave Whitman with a “reputation”.  I found it ironic that over the years people and have not changed.  I for one am one that speaks my mind and deals with the consequences at a later date.  But I have to give it to Whitman when he wrote this song about himself because it truly show what a character he was at heart.

Like any good piece of art, A "Song of Myself" is an American classic, but one must have an open mind and see it through the authors eyes verses letting your own hang-up give way to closing the poem before you have finished it.  Exercise autonomy with an open mind when you read this work of art.  Interpretation is priceless and one must look at the various aspects of what they believe is meant, not what others tell you it means.   Have an open mind when looking at poetry which is considered outside of your comfort zone.

Enjoy   Julie