Celebrated as one of America’s most influential poets, Walt Whitman’s free verse style spoke to the soul of the American people. With themes regarding the beauty of nature and life, ideals of democracy, and the spirit of individualism- Whitman truly was writing of the wild heartbeat of our nation and her ideals.
“By writing at the instant, the very heartbeat of life is caught.”
“My rule has been, to write what I have to say the best way I can - then lay it aside - taking it up again after some time and reading it afresh - the mind new to it. If there's no jar in the new reading, well and good - that's sufficient for me.”
“The secret of it all, is to write in the gush, the throb, the flood, of the moment – to put things down without deliberation – without worrying about their style – without waiting for a fit time or place. I always worked that way.”
“We don't read and write poetry because it's cute. We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race. And the human race is filled with passion. So medicine, law, business, engineering... These are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love... these are what we stay alive for.”
In Whitman’s “O Me! O Life!” He ponders the meaning of life in spite of all it’s sorrows and simply states that the meaning is “That you are here—that life exists and identity, That the powerful play goes on, and you may contribute a verse.” What will your verse be?
