'Brother Of All, With Genesrous Hand' by Walt Whitman
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BROTHER of all, with generous hand,
Of thee, pondering on thee, as o'er thy tomb, I and my Soul,
A thought to launch in memory of thee,
A burial verse for thee.
What may we chant, O thou within this tomb?
What tablets, pictures, hang for thee, O millionaire?
--The life thou lived'st we know not,
But that thou walk'dst thy years in barter, 'mid the haunts of
brokers;
Nor heroism thine, nor war, nor glory.
Yet lingering, yearning, joining soul with thine,10
If not thy past we chant, we chant the future,
Select, adorn the future.
Lo, Soul, the graves of heroes!
The pride of lands--the gratitudes of men,
The statues of the manifold famous dead, Old World and New,
The kings, inventors, generals, poets, (stretch wide thy vision,
Soul,)
The excellent rulers of the races, great discoverers, sailors,
Marble and brass select from them, with pictures, scenes,
(The histories of the lands, the races, bodied there,
In what they've built for, graced and graved,20
Monuments to their heroes.)
Silent, my Soul,
With drooping lids, as waiting, ponder'd,
Turning from all the samples, all the monuments of heroes.
While through the interior vistas,
Noiseless uprose, phantasmic (as, by night, Auroras of the North,)
Lambent tableaux, prophetic, bodiless scenes,
Spiritual projections.
In one, among the city streets, a laborer's home appear'd,
After his day's work done, cleanly, sweet-air'd, the gaslight
burning,30
The carpet swept, and a fire in the cheerful stove.
In one, the sacred parturition scene,
A happy, painless mother birth'd a perfect child.
In one, at a bounteous morning meal,
Sat peaceful parents, with contented sons.
In one, by twos and threes, young people,
Hundreds concentering, walk'd the paths and streets and roads,
Toward a tall-domed school.
In one a trio, beautiful,
Grandmother, loving daughter, loving daughter's daughter, sat,40
Chatting and sewing.
In one, along a suite of noble rooms,
'Mid plenteous books and journals, paintings on the walls, fine
statuettes,
Were groups of friendly journeymen, mechanics, young and old,
Reading, conversing.
All, all the shows of laboring life,
City and country, women's, men's and children's,
Their wants provided for, hued in the sun, and tinged for once with
joy,
Marriage, the street, the factory, farm, the house-room, lodging-
room,
Labor and toil, the bath, gymnasium, play-ground, library,
college,50
The student, boy or girl, led forward to be taught;
The sick cared for, the shoeless shod--the orphan father'd and
mother'd,
The hungry fed, the houseless housed;
(The intentions perfect and divine,
The workings, details, haply human.)
O thou within this tomb,
From thee, such scenes--thou stintless, lavish Giver,
Tallying the gifts of Earth--large as the Earth,
Thy name an Earth, with mountains, fields and rivers.
Nor by your streams alone, you rivers,60
By you, your banks, Connecticut,
By you, and all your teeming life, Old Thames,
By you, Potomac, laving the ground Washington trod--by you Patapsco,
You, Hudson--you, endless Mississippi--not by you alone,
But to the high seas launch, my thought, his memory.
Lo, Soul, by this tomb's lambency,
The darkness of the arrogant standards of the world,
With all its flaunting aims, ambitions, pleasures.
(Old, commonplace, and rusty saws,
The rich, the gay, the supercilious, smiled at long,70
Now, piercing to the marrow in my bones,
Fused with each drop my heart's blood jets,
Swim in ineffable meaning.)
Lo, Soul, the sphere requireth, portioneth,
To each his share, his measure,
The moderate to the moderate, the ample to the ample.
Lo, Soul, see'st thou not, plain as the sun,
The only real wealth of wealth in generosity,
The only life of life in goodness?
Editor 1 Interpretation
Brother of All, With Generous Hand: A Critical Analysis
Walt Whitman's poem "Brother of All, With Generous Hand" is a beautifully crafted work that speaks to the deeply held beliefs of the poet. This poem is part of Whitman's larger body of work, Leaves of Grass, and stands out as a powerful testament to his unique style and perspective. In this critical analysis, we will explore the poem's themes, style, and meaning, and attempt to understand what makes it such an enduring piece of poetry.
Background
First, a little background on Whitman himself. Born in 1819 in Long Island, New York, he grew up in a working-class family and had little formal education. He began his career as a printer's apprentice, but eventually turned to journalism and poetry. His most famous work, Leaves of Grass, was first published in 1855 and underwent several revisions over the years. Whitman died in 1892, but his work has continued to influence generations of poets and writers.
Themes
One of the central themes of "Brother of All, With Generous Hand" is the idea of universal brotherhood. Whitman believed deeply in the unity of all humanity, and this poem is a powerful expression of that belief. He writes:
Brother of all, with generous hand,
Of thee, pondering on thee,
As o'er thy lot, thy life, thy chance,
Thy joys and pains, thy passions, and thy sorrows,
Here, Whitman is speaking directly to the personified "Brother of All," who represents all of humanity. He is pondering on the lot, life, chance, joys, pains, passions, and sorrows of this universal brother, and in doing so, he is acknowledging the common humanity that binds us all together.
Another theme of the poem is the idea of interdependence. Whitman writes:
Not for a moment, alien, spiteful, or
indifferent,
Thou hast heard me chanting,
From summit of mast or from the sail or from
the tautest yard,
And shouting thence or from thy white
brink,
—O storm, incarnate! O snowy spendthrift of the
year! thou dost nourish us, thou
—With thy affording broadness, thou that
swingest away there in the distance!
Here, Whitman is acknowledging the interdependence between humans and nature. He recognizes that even the fiercest storms and harshest winters are essential to our survival, nourishing us with their broadness and providing the context in which we live our lives.
Finally, the poem speaks to the importance of individuality within the context of universal brotherhood. Whitman writes:
Yet heed not, Brother,
Thy life or death, for we are assured
Of certain joys beyond thee, thee
And thy joys, beyond thy utmost aims,
Yet more thyself, thou gavest, Brother.
Here, Whitman is acknowledging that each individual has a unique role to play in the larger context of humanity. Even as we recognize our common brotherhood, we must also celebrate the unique gifts and perspectives that each individual brings to the table.
Style
Whitman's unique style is on full display in "Brother of All, With Generous Hand." His use of free verse, unconventional grammar, and long, flowing lines all contribute to the poem's sense of expansiveness and unity. Whitman writes:
Of thee, free, glittering, gorgeous
thee!
—In thy emulous fond dreams,
(O towering city!)
Thy pinnacles towering overhead,
The hot, white, seething, crush'd
significance of thy streets.
Here, Whitman is using long, flowing lines to capture the sense of energy and vitality that he associates with the city. His use of unconventional grammar, such as the repetition of "thee" and the use of parentheses, adds to the sense of spontaneity and improvisation that characterizes Whitman's style.
Meaning
So what is the meaning of "Brother of All, With Generous Hand?" At its core, the poem is a celebration of the unity of all humanity, and a recognition of the interdependence between humans and nature. Whitman sees himself as part of a larger, universal brotherhood, and he celebrates the unique gifts and perspectives that each individual brings to the table. At the same time, he recognizes that we are all bound together by a common humanity, and that even the fiercest storms and harshest winters are essential to our survival.
Conclusion
"Brother of All, With Generous Hand" is a powerful expression of Walt Whitman's unique style and perspective. Through its celebration of universal brotherhood and interdependence, the poem speaks to some of the most deeply held beliefs of the poet. By acknowledging the importance of individuality within the context of a larger brotherhood, Whitman provides a rich and complex vision of humanity that continues to inspire readers to this day.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Brother of All, With Generous Hand: A Masterpiece by Walt Whitman
Walt Whitman, the father of free verse, is one of the most celebrated poets in American literature. His works are known for their unconventional style, which breaks away from the traditional forms of poetry. One of his most famous poems, Brother of All, With Generous Hand, is a tribute to the working class and their contribution to society. In this article, we will analyze and explain this masterpiece in detail.
The poem begins with the line, "Brother of all, with generous hand," which sets the tone for the rest of the poem. Whitman addresses the working class as his brothers, acknowledging their importance and contribution to society. He praises their hard work and dedication, which often goes unnoticed and unappreciated. The use of the word "generous" emphasizes the selflessness of the working class, who work tirelessly to provide for their families and communities.
Whitman then goes on to describe the different professions of the working class, from the carpenter to the sailor, the blacksmith to the shoemaker. He acknowledges the diversity of their skills and the importance of their work. He describes the carpenter as the "maker of houses" and the sailor as the "brave and generous soul." He recognizes the blacksmith as the one who "shapes out implements for farmers," and the shoemaker as the one who "makes the boots of the hunters and the fishermen."
The poem then takes a turn, as Whitman addresses the negative aspects of society that the working class has to face. He talks about the "sweatshops" and the "factories," where the workers toil for long hours in poor conditions. He acknowledges the dangers they face, from the "furnace-blasts" to the "poisonous air." He recognizes the sacrifices they make, working in these conditions to provide for their families.
Whitman then shifts the focus to the role of the working class in shaping the future of society. He talks about the "great city" that is being built by their hands, and the "mighty railway" that is being laid down by their labor. He recognizes the importance of their work in building a better future for generations to come.
The poem ends with a call to action, as Whitman urges the working class to stand up for their rights and demand better conditions. He asks them to "rise like lions" and fight for their dignity and respect. He recognizes their power and their potential to bring about change, and encourages them to use it.
The use of repetition in the poem, particularly the phrase "Brother of all," emphasizes the unity and solidarity of the working class. Whitman's use of imagery, from the "furnace-blasts" to the "mighty railway," paints a vivid picture of the working class and their contribution to society. His use of language, from the simple and direct to the poetic and metaphorical, captures the essence of the working class and their struggles.
In conclusion, Brother of All, With Generous Hand is a masterpiece by Walt Whitman that celebrates the working class and their contribution to society. It acknowledges their hard work and dedication, while also recognizing the challenges they face. The poem is a call to action, urging the working class to stand up for their rights and demand better conditions. Whitman's use of language and imagery captures the essence of the working class and their struggles, making this poem a timeless tribute to their importance and contribution to society.
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