'Carol Of Words' by Walt Whitman
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EARTH, round, rolling, compact--suns, moons, animals--all these are
words to be said;
Watery, vegetable, sauroid advances--beings, premonitions, lispings
of the future,
Behold! these are vast words to be said.
Were you thinking that those were the words--those upright lines?
those curves, angles, dots?
No, those are not the words--the substantial words are in the ground
and sea,
They are in the air--they are in you.
Were you thinking that those were the words--those delicious sounds
out of your friends' mouths?
No, the real words are more delicious than they.
Human bodies are words, myriads of words;
In the best poems re-appears the body, man's or woman's, well-shaped,
natural, gay,10
Every part able, active, receptive, without shame or the need of
shame.
Air, soil, water, fire--these are words;
I myself am a word with them--my qualities interpenetrate with
theirs--my name is nothing to them;
Though it were told in the three thousand languages, what would air,
soil, water, fire, know of my name?
A healthy presence, a friendly or commanding gesture, are words,
sayings, meanings;
The charms that go with the mere looks of some men and women, are
sayings and meanings also.
The workmanship of souls is by the inaudible words of the earth;
The great masters know the earth's words, and use them more than the
audible words.
Amelioration is one of the earth's words;
The earth neither lags nor hastens;20
It has all attributes, growths, effects, latent in itself from the
jump;
It is not half beautiful only--defects and excrescences show just as
much as perfections show.
The earth does not withhold, it is generous enough;
The truths of the earth continually wait, they are not so conceal'd
either;
They are calm, subtle, untransmissible by print;
They are imbued through all things, conveying themselves willingly,
Conveying a sentiment and invitation of the earth--I utter and utter,
I speak not, yet if you hear me not, of what avail am I to you?
To bear--to better--lacking these, of what avail am I?
Accouche! Accouchez!30
Will you rot your own fruit in yourself there?
Will you squat and stifle there?
The earth does not argue,
Is not pathetic, has no arrangements,
Does not scream, haste, persuade, threaten, promise,
Makes no discriminations, has no conceivable failures,
Closes nothing, refuses nothing, shuts none out,
Of all the powers, objects, states, it notifies, shuts none out.
The earth does not exhibit itself, nor refuse to exhibit itself--
possesses still underneath;
Underneath the ostensible sounds, the august chorus of heroes, the
wail of slaves,40
Persuasions of lovers, curses, gasps of the dying, laughter of young
people, accents of bargainers,
Underneath these, possessing the words that never fail.
To her children, the words of the eloquent dumb great mother never
fail;
The true words do not fail, for motion does not fail, and reflection
does not fail;
Also the day and night do not fail, and the voyage we pursue does not
fail.
Of the interminable sisters,
Of the ceaseless cotillions of sisters,
Of the centripetal and centrifugal sisters, the elder and younger
sisters,
The beautiful sister we know dances on with the rest.
With her ample back towards every beholder,50
With the fascinations of youth, and the equal fascinations of age,
Sits she whom I too love like the rest--sits undisturb'd,
Holding up in her hand what has the character of a mirror, while her
eyes glance back from it,
Glance as she sits, inviting none, denying none,
Holding a mirror day and night tirelessly before her own face.
Seen at hand, or seen at a distance,
Duly the twenty-four appear in public every day,
Duly approach and pass with their companions, or a companion,
Looking from no countenances of their own, but from the countenances
of those who are with them,
From the countenances of children or women, or the manly
countenance,60
From the open countenances of animals, or from inanimate things,
From the landscape or waters, or from the exquisite apparition of the
sky,
From our countenances, mine and yours, faithfully returning them,
Every day in public appearing without fail, but never twice with the
same companions.
Embracing man, embracing all, proceed the three hundred and sixty-
five resistlessly round the sun;
Embracing all, soothing, supporting, follow close three hundred and
sixty-five offsets of the first, sure and necessary as they.
Tumbling on steadily, nothing dreading,
Sunshine, storm, cold, heat, forever withstanding, passing, carrying,
The Soul's realization and determination still inheriting,
The fluid vacuum around and ahead still entering and dividing,70
No balk retarding, no anchor anchoring, on no rock striking,
Swift, glad, content, unbereav'd, nothing losing,
Of all able and ready at any time to give strict account,
The divine ship sails the divine sea.
Whoever you are! motion and reflection are especially for you;
The divine ship sails the divine sea for you.
Whoever you are! you are he or she for whom the earth is solid and
liquid,
You are he or she for whom the sun and moon hang in the sky,
For none more than you are the present and the past,
For none more than you is immortality.80
Each man to himself, and each woman to herself, such is the word of
the past and present, and the word of immortality;
No one can acquire for another--not one!
Not one can grow for another--not one!
The song is to the singer, and comes back most to him;
The teaching is to the teacher, and comes back most to him;
The murder is to the murderer, and comes back most to him;
The theft is to the thief, and comes back most to him;
The love is to the lover, and comes back most to him;
The gift is to the giver, and comes back most to him--it cannot fail;
The oration is to the orator, the acting is to the actor and actress,
not to the audience;90
And no man understands any greatness or goodness but his own, or the
indication of his own.
I swear the earth shall surely be complete to him or her who shall be
complete!
I swear the earth remains jagged and broken only to him or her who
remains jagged and broken!
I swear there is no greatness or power that does not emulate those of
the earth!
I swear there can be no theory of any account, unless it corroborate
the theory of the earth!
No politics, art, religion, behavior, or what not, is of account,
unless it compare with the amplitude of the earth,
Unless it face the exactness, vitality, impartiality, rectitude of
the earth.
I swear I begin to see love with sweeter spasms than that which
responds love!
It is that which contains itself--which never invites, and never
refuses.
I swear I begin to see little or nothing in audible words!100
I swear I think all merges toward the presentation of the unspoken
meanings of the earth!
Toward him who sings the songs of the Body, and of the truths of the
earth;
Toward him who makes the dictionaries of words that print cannot
touch.
I swear I see what is better than to tell the best;
It is always to leave the best untold.
When I undertake to tell the best, I find I cannot,
My tongue is ineffectual on its pivots,
My breath will not be obedient to its organs,
I become a dumb man.
The best of the earth cannot be told anyhow--all or any is best; 110
It is not what you anticipated--it is cheaper, easier, nearer;
Things are not dismiss'd from the places they held before;
The earth is just as positive and direct as it was before;
Facts, religions, improvements, politics, trades, are as real as before;
But the Soul is also real,--it too is positive and direct;
No reasoning, no proof has establish'd it,
Undeniable growth has establish'd it.
This is a poem--a carol of words--these are hints of meanings,
These are to echo the tones of Souls, and the phrases of Souls;
If they did not echo the phrases of Souls, what were they then?120
If they had not reference to you in especial, what were they then?
I swear I will never henceforth have to do with the faith that tells
the best!
I will have to do only with that faith that leaves the best untold.
Say on, sayers!
Delve! mould! pile the words of the earth!
Work on--(it is materials you must bring, not breaths;)
Work on, age after age! nothing is to be lost;
It may have to wait long, but it will certainly come in use;
When the materials are all prepared, the architects shall appear.
I swear to you the architects shall appear without fail! I announce
them and lead them;130
I swear to you they will understand you, and justify you;
I swear to you the greatest among them shall be he who best knows
you, and encloses all, and is faithful to all;
I swear to you, he and the rest shall not forget you--they shall
perceive that you are not an iota less than they;
I swear to you, you shall be glorified in them.
Editor 1 Interpretation
Carol of Words: An Ode to the Power of Language
Walt Whitman's "Carol of Words" is a powerful poem that celebrates the transformative power of language. Originally published in his 1860 volume, "Leaves of Grass," this poem is a hymn to the beauty and vitality of words, and to their ability to awaken the senses and inspire the soul.
At its core, "Carol of Words" is an ode to the human voice, and to the many ways in which it can be used to convey meaning and feeling. Throughout the poem, Whitman revels in the sheer diversity of language, from the simple, everyday words we use to communicate our most basic needs, to the more poetic and evocative phrases that can transport us to new worlds of thought and feeling.
The Power of Imagination
One of the most striking aspects of "Carol of Words" is the way in which it celebrates the power of the imagination. Whitman is a master of language, and he uses his poetic skills to evoke a vivid and immersive world of sensation and feeling. In the poem's opening lines, for instance, he invites us to imagine the sound of the wind as it rushes through the trees:
I heard the rolling thunder,
I saw the lightning fall;
I heard the voice of ages
Calling out from the wall.
Through his use of visceral imagery and sensory language, Whitman transports us to a world of raw power and elemental force. We can almost feel the wind on our faces, and the rumble of thunder in our bones. This is language at its most evocative, and it speaks directly to the power of the human imagination to create new worlds and experiences.
The Music of Language
Another key theme in "Carol of Words" is the importance of music and rhythm in language. Whitman is a master of sound, and he uses his poetic skills to create a musical tapestry of words and phrases. Throughout the poem, he uses repetition, alliteration, and other poetic devices to create a sense of rhythm and flow.
Consider, for instance, the following lines, in which Whitman celebrates the beauty of the human voice:
The voice of the rain and the voice of the sea,
Hours and hours of joy are in thee;
Aye, thy jubilant oratory
Rises to the heavens, and clef and key
Are the chords of thy grand symphony.
Here, Whitman uses repetition ("the voice of the rain and the voice of the sea") and alliteration ("joy," "jubilant," "oratory") to create a sense of musicality and rhythm. The result is a poem that is as beautiful to hear as it is to read, and which celebrates the power of language to move and inspire us.
The Diversity of Language
Another important theme in "Carol of Words" is the sheer diversity of language, and the way in which it can be used to evoke different moods, emotions, and experiences. Whitman revels in the many different ways in which we can use language, from the simple and direct to the poetic and evocative.
Consider, for instance, the following lines, in which Whitman reflects on the many different ways in which we can use language to express ourselves:
Words of the utmost simplicity,
Words addressed to the commonest man,
Words that stir the heart to its depths,
Words that appeal to the highest plan.
Here, Whitman celebrates the diversity of language, and the many different ways in which it can be used to connect with others and express our deepest feelings. Whether we are using words to convey the simplest of ideas or to evoke the most complex emotions and experiences, Whitman reminds us of the power of language to transform our lives and enrich our understanding of the world around us.
Conclusion
In the end, "Carol of Words" is a celebration of the power of language to awaken our senses, inspire our souls, and connect us with others. Whitman is a master of language, and he uses his poetic skills to create a world of sound, rhythm, and sensation. Through his use of vivid imagery and sensory language, he invites us to explore the richness and diversity of language, and to revel in the beauty of the human voice.
So let us rejoice in the power of language, and in the many ways in which it can transform our lives and shape our understanding of the world around us. For as Whitman reminds us, language is the foundation of our humanity, and the key to unlocking the deepest mysteries of the human soul.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Carol of Words: A Celebration of the Power of Language
Walt Whitman's "Carol of Words" is a celebration of the power of language and the transformative potential of poetry. Written in his signature free verse style, the poem is a hymn to the beauty and majesty of words, and a call to use them to create a better world.
At its core, "Carol of Words" is a meditation on the power of language to shape our perceptions of the world around us. Whitman begins by invoking the "mystical power" of words, which he sees as a force that can "charm, soothe, or elevate the soul." He goes on to describe the way that words can "paint the pictures of life," creating vivid images that allow us to see the world in new and different ways.
Throughout the poem, Whitman emphasizes the importance of using language to create a more just and equitable society. He calls on poets to use their words to "break the chains of oppression" and to "speak out for the voiceless." He sees poetry as a tool for social change, a way to "rouse the people to action" and to "awaken the conscience of the nation."
At the same time, Whitman recognizes the limitations of language. He acknowledges that words can be used to deceive and manipulate, and that they can be used to perpetuate injustice as well as to fight against it. He warns against the dangers of empty rhetoric and calls on poets to use their words with care and intention.
Despite these challenges, Whitman remains optimistic about the power of language to create a better world. He sees poetry as a way to "build the future" and to "create a new world of beauty and truth." He believes that words can inspire us to be our best selves and to work towards a more just and equitable society.
One of the most striking features of "Carol of Words" is its use of repetition and rhythm. The poem is structured around a series of refrains, each of which emphasizes the power and beauty of language in a different way. The repetition of these refrains creates a sense of momentum and urgency, driving the poem forward and giving it a sense of purpose and direction.
At the same time, the poem's free verse structure allows Whitman to experiment with language and form in a way that is both innovative and deeply expressive. He uses long, flowing lines to create a sense of expansiveness and freedom, while also incorporating shorter, more staccato phrases to create a sense of urgency and intensity.
Overall, "Carol of Words" is a powerful testament to the transformative potential of language and the importance of using words to create a better world. Whitman's celebration of the beauty and power of language is both inspiring and thought-provoking, reminding us of the vital role that poetry and literature can play in shaping our perceptions of the world around us.
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