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| Even the smallest to the largest |
In the
1850s, an American poet pulled away from standard poetry format and moved into
his own poetry. It was a bold move, but then Walt Whitman was bold in so many
ways.
His “free
verse” was exactly that: free. Whitman
was strong in his beliefs that all people should read and understand the
meanings that are embedded in the words.
The importance of the individual, whether it be a person or a blade of
grass or a distant star, was central to his vision.
Walt Whitman
fell under the extreme condemnation of his bi-sexuality. Although Leaves of Grass was labeled
to be almost pornographic and obscene, but that did not restrict its
success. In a November 1885 review, it was suggested that Whitman was “guilty
of the horrible sin not to be mentioned among Christians”.
This part of
the popular opinions, Whitman had intense relationships with several women, and
claimed he had six children. Whatever his sexuality, it cannot be criticized
in current mores and rightly so. One cannot be defined by one element of life
but taken as a whole.
Whitman’s most memorable poem will
always be O Captain! My Captain, written after Lincoln’s assassination.
He once said, after constant repetition,
"Damn My Captain...I'm almost sorry I ever wrote that poem."
So, hoist a glass to an individual who believed that people/leaves
of grass/stars are unique, no matter how small or large or whatever.
From YouTube read by Tom O'Bedlam
