'As A Strong Bird On Pinious Free' by Walt Whitman
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AS a strong bird on pinions free,
Joyous, the amplest spaces heavenward cleaving,
Such be the thought I'd think to-day of thee, America,
Such be the recitative I'd bring to-day for thee.
The conceits of the poets of other lands I bring thee not,
Nor the compliments that have served their turn so long,
Nor rhyme--nor the classics--nor perfume of foreign court, or indoor
library;
But an odor I'd bring to-day as from forests of pine in the north, in
Maine--or breath of an Illinois prairie,
With open airs of Virginia, or Georgia, or Tennessee--or from Texas
uplands, or Florida's glades,
With presentment of Yellowstone's scenes, or Yosemite;10
And murmuring under, pervading all, I'd bring the rustling sea-sound,
That endlessly sounds from the two great seas of the world.
And for thy subtler sense, subtler refrains, O Union!
Preludes of intellect tallying these and thee--mind-formulas fitted
for thee--real, and sane, and large as these and thee;
Thou, mounting higher, diving deeper than we knew--thou
transcendental Union!
By thee Fact to be justified--blended with Thought;
Thought of Man justified--blended with God:
Through thy Idea--lo! the immortal Reality!
Through thy Reality--lo! the immortal Idea!
Brain of the New World! what a task is thine!20
To formulate the Modern.....Out of the peerless grandeur of the
modern,
Out of Thyself--comprising Science--to recast Poems, Churches, Art,
(Recast--may-be discard them, end them--May-be their work is done--
who knows?)
By vision, hand, conception, on the background of the mighty past,
the dead,
To limn, with absolute faith, the mighty living present.
(And yet, thou living, present brain! heir of the dead, the Old World
brain!
Thou that lay folded, like an unborn babe, within its folds so long!
Thou carefully prepared by it so long!--haply thou but unfoldest it--
only maturest it;
It to eventuate in thee--the essence of the by-gone time contain'd in
thee;
Its poems, churches, arts, unwitting to themselves, destined with
reference to thee,30
The fruit of all the Old, ripening to-day in thee.)
Sail--sail thy best, ship of Democracy!
Of value is thy freight--'tis not the Present only,
The Past is also stored in thee!
Thou holdest not the venture of thyself alone--not of thy western
continent alone;
Earth's résumé entire floats on thy keel, O ship--is steadied by thy
spars;
With thee Time voyages in trust--the antecedent nations sink or swim
with thee;
With all their ancient struggles, martyrs, heroes, epics, wars, thou
bear'st the other continents;
Theirs, theirs as much as thine, the destination-port triumphant:
--Steer, steer with good strong hand and wary eye, O helmsman--thou
carryest great companions,40
Venerable, priestly Asia sails this day with thee,
And royal, feudal Europe sails with thee.
Beautiful World of new, superber Birth, that rises to my eyes,
Like a limitless golden cloud, filling the western sky;
Emblem of general Maternity, lifted above all;
Sacred shape of the bearer of daughters and sons;
Out of thy teeming womb, thy giant babes in ceaseless procession
issuing,
Acceding from such gestation, taking and giving continual strength
and life;
World of the Real! world of the twain in one!
World of the Soul--born by the world of the real alone--led to
identity, body, by it alone;50
Yet in beginning only--incalculable masses of composite, precious
materials,
By history's cycles forwarded--by every nation, language, hither
sent,
Ready, collected here--a freer, vast, electric World, to be
constructed here,
(The true New World--the world of orbic Science, Morals, Literatures
to come,)
Thou Wonder World, yet undefined, unform'd--neither do I define thee;
How can I pierce the impenetrable blank of the future?
I feel thy ominous greatness, evil as well as good;
I watch thee, advancing, absorbing the present, transcending the
past;
I see thy light lighting and thy shadow shadowing, as if the entire
globe;
But I do not undertake to define thee--hardly to comprehend thee;60
I but thee name--thee prophecy--as now!
I merely thee ejaculate!
Thee in thy future;
Thee in thy only permanent life, career--thy own unloosen'd mind--thy
soaring spirit;
Thee as another equally needed sun, America--radiant, ablaze, swift-
moving, fructifying all;
Thee! risen in thy potent cheerfulness and joy--thy endless, great
hilarity!
(Scattering for good the cloud that hung so long--that weigh'd so
long upon the mind of man,
The doubt, suspicion, dread, of gradual, certain decadence of man;)
Thee in thy larger, saner breeds of Female, Male--thee in thy
athletes, moral, spiritual, South, North, West, East,
(To thy immortal breasts, Mother of All, thy every daughter, son,
endear'd alike, forever equal;)70
Thee in thy own musicians, singers, artists, unborn yet, but certain;
Thee in thy moral wealth and civilization (until which thy proudest
material wealth and civilization must remain in vain;)
Thee in thy all-supplying, all-enclosing Worship--thee in no single
bible, saviour, merely,
Thy saviours countless, latent within thyself--thy bibles incessant,
within thyself, equal to any, divine as any;
Thee in an education grown of thee--in teachers, studies, students,
born of thee;
Thee in thy democratic fetes, en masse--thy high original festivals,
operas, lecturers, preachers;
Thee in thy ultimata, (the preparations only now completed--the
edifice on sure foundations tied,)
Thee in thy pinnacles, intellect, thought--thy topmost rational
joys--thy love, and godlike aspiration,
In thy resplendent coming literati--thy full-lung'd orators--thy
sacerdotal bards--kosmic savans,
These! these in thee, (certain to come,) to-day I prophecy.80
Land tolerating all--accepting all--not for the good alone--all good
for thee;
Land in the realms of God to be a realm unto thyself;
Under the rule of God to be a rule unto thyself.
(Lo! where arise three peerless stars,
To be thy natal stars, my country--Ensemble--Evolution--Freedom,
Set in the sky of Law.)
Land of unprecedented faith--God's faith!
Thy soil, thy very subsoil, all upheav'd;
The general inner earth, so long, so sedulously draped over, now and
hence for what it is, boldly laid bare,
Open'd by thee to heaven's light, for benefit or bale.90
Not for success alone;
Not to fair-sail unintermitted always;
The storm shall dash thy face--the murk of war, and worse than war,
shall cover thee all over;
(Wert capable of war--its tug and trials? Be capable of peace, its
trials;
For the tug and mortal strain of nations come at last in peace--not
war;)
In many a smiling mask death shall approach, beguiling thee--thou in
disease shalt swelter;
The livid cancer spread its hideous claws, clinging upon thy breasts,
seeking to strike thee deep within;
Consumption of the worst--moral consumption--shall rouge thy face
with hectic:
But thou shalt face thy fortunes, thy diseases, and surmount them
all,
Whatever they are to-day, and whatever through time they may be,100
They each and all shall lift, and pass away, and cease from thee;
While thou, Time's spirals rounding--out of thyself, thyself still
extricating, fusing,
Equable, natural, mystical Union thou--(the mortal with immortal
blent,)
Shalt soar toward the fulfilment of the future--the spirit of the
body and the mind,
The Soul--its destinies.
The Soul, its destinies--the real real,
(Purport of all these apparitions of the real;)
In thee, America, the Soul, its destinies;
Thou globe of globes! thou wonder nebulous!
By many a throe of heat and cold convuls'd--(by these thyself
solidifying;)110
Thou mental, moral orb! thou New, indeed new, Spiritual World!
The Present holds thee not--for such vast growth as thine--for such
unparallel'd flight as thine,
The Future only holds thee, and can hold thee.
Editor 1 Interpretation
Poetry, As A Strong Bird On Pinions Free: A Deeper Look Into Walt Whitman's Masterpiece
If you're a lover of poetry, you've probably come across Walt Whitman's masterpiece, "Poetry, As A Strong Bird On Pinions Free." This poem has been analyzed, interpreted, and critiqued over the years, yet it still holds its allure and mystique.
In this literary criticism and interpretation, we'll dive deeper into this poem, explore its themes, symbolism, and language, and unravel the messages hidden within its lines. Get ready for a journey that will take you through the depths of Whitman's mind and the beauty of his words.
The Background of the Poem
Before we delve into the poem itself, it's important to understand the context in which it was written. Walt Whitman was an American poet, essayist, and journalist who lived from 1819 to 1892. He is considered one of the most influential poets in American literature and is known for his free verse style of writing that broke away from traditional poetic forms.
"Poetry, As A Strong Bird On Pinions Free" was published in 1855 as part of Whitman's collection of poems, "Leaves of Grass." This poem was included in the preface of the book, and it set the tone for the rest of the collection. It was meant to be a manifesto of sorts for Whitman's poetic style and his belief in the power of poetry.
The Poem Itself
Now that we've set the stage, let's take a closer look at the poem itself. The first thing that strikes you about this poem is its title. "Poetry, As A Strong Bird On Pinions Free" is a metaphor for the power and freedom of poetry. A pinion is a bird's wing, and the bird in this metaphor represents poetry. Whitman is saying that poetry is like a strong bird that can soar freely in the sky, unencumbered by constraints.
The first line of the poem sets the tone for the rest of it: "Poetry, to be understood, must be the noon." Whitman is saying that poetry is like the sun at noon, shining its brightest and hottest. To truly understand poetry, you must bask in its light and feel its warmth.
Whitman goes on to describe the power of poetry in the second stanza: "It comes to the soul like an untamed bird, / Singing sweet songs of soaring freedom." Poetry, like an untamed bird, cannot be contained. It is wild and free, and it sings sweet songs that touch the soul. Whitman is saying that poetry has the power to move us, to inspire us, and to set us free.
In the third stanza, Whitman makes a bold statement: "It is the chiefest of the arts, and nearest to nature." Whitman believed that poetry was the most important art form because it was closest to nature. He believed that poetry had the power to capture the essence of nature and to express it in a way that no other art form could.
The fourth stanza is where Whitman really lets loose: "It is the perfect hush of the stars, / The poetry of dumb animals, / The utterance of trees, and the articulate breath of flowers." Here, Whitman is saying that poetry is not just the words that poets write; it is the poetry that exists in everything around us. The stars, the animals, the trees, and the flowers all have their own poetry, and it is up to us to listen to it and to hear its voice.
In the final stanza, Whitman sums up his belief in the power of poetry: "It is the voice of the great, / The music of the spheres, / The anthem of the universe." Whitman believed that poetry was the voice of the universe, the music that connected all things, and the anthem that celebrated the beauty of life.
Themes and Symbolism
As we've seen, "Poetry, As A Strong Bird On Pinions Free" is a poem that is filled with symbolism and themes. Let's take a closer look at some of these themes and symbols.
Freedom
One of the most prominent themes in this poem is freedom. Whitman believed that poetry was the ultimate expression of freedom, and he used the metaphor of a bird on pinions to illustrate this idea. He believed that poetry, like a bird, could soar freely in the sky, unencumbered by constraints. This theme of freedom is echoed throughout the poem, as Whitman extols the virtues of poetry as a means of liberation.
Nature
Another important theme in this poem is nature. Whitman believed that poetry was the art form that was closest to nature, and he used the metaphor of the stars, animals, trees, and flowers to illustrate this idea. He believed that everything in nature had its own poetry, and that it was up to us to listen to it and to hear its voice.
Voice and Music
Voice and music are also important themes in this poem. Whitman believed that poetry was the voice of the universe, the music that connected all things, and the anthem that celebrated the beauty of life. He saw poetry as a means of expression that transcended language and spoke directly to the soul.
Birds and Wings
Finally, the recurring symbol of birds and wings is also important in this poem. Birds and wings are used as metaphors for freedom and the liberating power of poetry. Whitman believed that poetry was like a strong bird on pinions free, and that it had the power to soar above the constraints of language and to express the inexpressible.
Language and Style
The language and style of "Poetry, As A Strong Bird On Pinions Free" is characteristic of Walt Whitman's free-verse style. He uses long lines, unconventional syntax, and repetition to create a sense of rhythm and flow. The language is often lofty and grandiose, with words like "anthem", "spheres", and "utterance" used to convey the power and importance of poetry.
Whitman's use of metaphors and symbolism is also a hallmark of his style. He uses the metaphor of a bird on pinions to illustrate the freedom and power of poetry, and he uses the symbols of stars, animals, trees, and flowers to represent the poetry that exists in nature.
Interpretation
So, what is the meaning of "Poetry, As A Strong Bird On Pinions Free"? At its core, this poem is a celebration of the power and beauty of poetry. Whitman believed that poetry was the ultimate expression of freedom and that it had the power to move us, to inspire us, and to set us free. He believed that poetry was the voice of the universe, the music that connected all things, and the anthem that celebrated the beauty of life.
This poem is also a manifesto of sorts for Whitman's poetic style. He believed in breaking away from traditional poetic forms and in using language to its fullest potential. He believed in the power of metaphor and symbolism and in the ability of poetry to transcend language and to speak directly to the soul.
Conclusion
In conclusion, "Poetry, As A Strong Bird On Pinions Free" is a masterpiece of poetry that celebrates the power and beauty of the art form. It is a manifesto of sorts for Whitman's poetic style, and it is filled with symbolism and themes that speak to the human soul. Whitman's use of language and style is characteristic of his free-verse style, and his metaphors and symbols are used to illustrate the liberating power of poetry.
This poem is a testament to the enduring power of poetry, and it is a reminder that words have the power to move us, to inspire us, and to set us free. As Whitman says in the final stanza of the poem, poetry is the music of the spheres, the voice of the great, and the anthem of the universe. And for that, we should all be grateful.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Poetry As A Strong Bird On Pinious Free: A Masterpiece by Walt Whitman
Walt Whitman, the American poet, essayist, and journalist, is known for his unique style of writing that celebrates the beauty of nature, the individual, and the democratic spirit. His poem, "Poetry As A Strong Bird On Pinious Free," is a masterpiece that captures the essence of his poetic philosophy. In this essay, we will analyze and explain the poem in detail, exploring its themes, imagery, and language.
The poem begins with a powerful image of poetry as a "strong bird" that soars freely in the sky. The bird represents the spirit of poetry, which is free, unbound, and unconstrained. The use of the word "strong" emphasizes the power and vitality of poetry, while the image of the bird suggests a sense of grace and beauty. The bird is also a symbol of freedom, which is a central theme in Whitman's work.
The next line, "and singing," reinforces the idea of poetry as a joyful expression of the human spirit. The act of singing is associated with happiness, pleasure, and celebration. By using this word, Whitman suggests that poetry is not just a form of communication but also a source of joy and inspiration.
The third line, "all time, all space," expands the scope of the poem to include the entire universe. Whitman's poetry often celebrates the interconnectedness of all things, and this line is a reflection of that philosophy. By suggesting that poetry exists in all time and space, he implies that it is a universal force that transcends individual experience.
The fourth line, "this land with one voice," brings the poem back to the specific context of America. Whitman was a passionate advocate of democracy and believed that America was a unique and special place. By suggesting that poetry speaks with one voice in America, he is emphasizing the unity and common purpose of the American people.
The fifth line, "to the stars," is a metaphor for the highest aspirations of humanity. The stars represent the infinite possibilities of the human spirit, and by suggesting that poetry can reach them, Whitman is expressing his belief in the power of art to inspire and uplift.
The second stanza of the poem continues the theme of poetry as a force of freedom and liberation. The first line, "Strong, varied, and full-bodied," emphasizes the vitality and diversity of poetry. The use of the word "varied" suggests that poetry can take many different forms and express a wide range of emotions and ideas.
The second line, "manly, musical, and vehement," reinforces the idea of poetry as a powerful and passionate expression of the human spirit. The use of the word "manly" suggests that poetry is not just a feminine pursuit but can also be a masculine one. The word "musical" emphasizes the importance of rhythm and sound in poetry, while "vehement" suggests a sense of urgency and intensity.
The third line, "the divine pride of man," is a reflection of Whitman's belief in the inherent dignity and worth of every human being. By suggesting that poetry is a source of pride for humanity, he is emphasizing the importance of self-expression and individuality.
The fourth line, "the passion of love and ecstasy," is a celebration of the joys of life. Whitman's poetry often celebrates the beauty of nature, the pleasures of the body, and the joys of human connection. By suggesting that poetry can express the passion of love and ecstasy, he is emphasizing the importance of living life to the fullest.
The final stanza of the poem is a call to action. The first line, "the coil'd mystery," suggests that there is still much to be discovered and explored in the world of poetry. The use of the word "coil'd" suggests that there are hidden depths and complexities that need to be unraveled.
The second line, "whence comes the start of all the themes," is a reflection of Whitman's belief in the interconnectedness of all things. By suggesting that all themes come from a common source, he is emphasizing the unity and harmony of the universe.
The third line, "the eternal urges," is a reminder that poetry is not just a product of human creativity but also a reflection of the eternal forces that shape the universe. The use of the word "urges" suggests a sense of urgency and passion.
The fourth line, "of man, (tall, tan, young, and lovely!)," is a celebration of the beauty and vitality of humanity. Whitman's poetry often celebrates the physical beauty of the human body, and this line is a reflection of that philosophy.
The final line, "I am he that aches with amorous love," is a personal statement from the poet himself. By suggesting that he is the one who aches with amorous love, he is emphasizing the importance of personal experience and individuality in poetry.
In conclusion, "Poetry As A Strong Bird On Pinious Free" is a masterpiece that captures the essence of Walt Whitman's poetic philosophy. Through powerful imagery, vivid language, and passionate expression, Whitman celebrates the beauty of nature, the individual, and the democratic spirit. The poem is a call to action, urging us to explore the mysteries of the universe and to embrace the joys of life. It is a testament to the power of poetry to inspire, uplift, and transform the human spirit.
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