'With Antecedents' by Walt Whitman

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WITH antecedents;
With my fathers and mothers, and the accumulations of past ages;
With all which, had it not been, I would not now be here, as I am:
With Egypt, India, Phenicia, Greece and Rome;
With the Kelt, the Scandinavian, the Alb, and the Saxon;
With antique maritime ventures,--with laws, artizanship, wars and
journeys;
With the poet, the skald, the saga, the myth, and the oracle;
With the sale of slaves--with enthusiasts--with the troubadour, the
crusader, and the monk;
With those old continents whence we have come to this new continent;
With the fading kingdoms and kings over there;10
With the fading religions and priests;
With the small shores we look back to from our own large and present
shores;
With countless years drawing themselves onward, and arrived at these
years;
You and Me arrived--America arrived, and making this year;
This year! sending itself ahead countless years to come.

O but it is not the years--it is I--it is You;
We touch all laws, and tally all antecedents;
We are the skald, the oracle, the monk, and the knight--we easily
include them, and more;
We stand amid time, beginningless and endless--we stand amid evil and
good;
All swings around us--there is as much darkness as light;20
The very sun swings itself and its system of planets around us;
Its sun, and its again, all swing around us.
As for me, (torn, stormy, even as I, amid these vehement days,)
I have the idea of all, and am all, and believe in all;
I believe materialism is true, and spiritualism is true--I reject no
part.

Have I forgotten any part?
Come to me, whoever and whatever, till I give you recognition.

I respect Assyria, China, Teutonia, and the Hebrews;
I adopt each theory, myth, god, and demi-god;
I see that the old accounts, bibles, genealogies, are true, without
exception;30
I assert that all past days were what they should have been;
And that they could no-how have been better than they were,
And that to-day is what it should be--and that America is,
And that to-day and America could no-how be better than they are.

In the name of These States, and in your and my name, the Past,
And in the name of These States, and in your and my name, the Present
time.

I know that the past was great, and the future will be great,
And I know that both curiously conjoint in the present time,
(For the sake of him I typify--for the common average man's sake--
your sake, if you are he;)
And that where I am, or you are, this present day, there is the
centre of all days, all races,40
And there is the meaning, to us, of all that has ever come of races
and days, or ever will come.

Editor 1 Interpretation

Poetry, With Antecedents: An Exploration of Timeless Themes and Innovative Style

As one of America's most celebrated poets, Walt Whitman has left an indelible mark on literature with his bold and unconventional approach to verse. His collection, Poetry, With Antecedents, is a testament to his unique style, filled with sprawling free-verse poems that challenge traditional notions of rhyme and meter. But beyond its formal innovation, the collection is a rich exploration of timeless themes, from love and death to spirituality and social justice. In this literary analysis, we will delve deeper into the poetic genius of Whitman, examining the themes and techniques that make Poetry, With Antecedents a classic of American literature.

Context and Background

To understand the significance of Poetry, With Antecedents, it is important to consider its historical context. Whitman published the collection in 1872, during a time of great social upheaval in America. The country was still reeling from the aftermath of the Civil War, and the Reconstruction period was marked by political instability and social conflict. Against this backdrop, Whitman's poetry offered a new perspective on American identity and the role of the individual in society.

Whitman's poetry was also influenced by his personal experiences. He worked as a journalist and a nurse during the Civil War, and these experiences shaped his worldview and his approach to writing. His poetry is marked by a sense of compassion and empathy for his fellow human beings, as well as a fascination with the natural world and the mysteries of existence.

Themes

One of the most striking aspects of Poetry, With Antecedents is the range of themes that Whitman explores. His poetry is deeply personal and introspective, but it also speaks to universal human experiences. Here are some of the key themes that emerge in the collection:

Love and Sexuality

Whitman's poetry is often characterized by an unabashed celebration of the human body and its pleasures. He writes about the joys of sexual love in vivid, sensual language, as in "From Pent-Up Aching Rivers":

From pent-up aching rivers,
From that of myself without which I were nothing,
From what I am determin'd to make illustrious, even if I stand
   sole among men,
From my own voice resonant, singing the phallus,
Singing the song of procreation,
Singing the need of superb children and therein superb grown people,
Singing the muscular urge and the blending,
Singing the bedfellow's song, (O resistless yearning!
O for any and each the body correlative attracting!
O for you whoever you are your correlative body! O it, more than
   all else, you delighting!)

Whitman celebrates the body as a source of pleasure and creativity, and his poetry is often explicitly homoerotic. He writes about male companionship and affection in poems like "Crossing Brooklyn Ferry" and "Song of Myself," challenging traditional notions of masculinity and sexuality.

Death and Transcendence

Whitman's poetry is also marked by a fascination with death and the afterlife. He writes about the mystery of existence and the possibility of transcendence in poems like "When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom'd":

When lilacs last in the dooryard bloom'd,
And the great star early droop'd in the western sky in the night,
I mourn'd—and yet shall mourn with ever-returning spring.

Ever-returning spring, trinity sure to me you bring,
Lilac blooming perennial and drooping star in the west,
And thought of him I love.

Whitman sees death as a natural part of the cycle of life, and he believes that the soul lives on after the body has perished. His poetry offers a vision of transcendence and spiritual unity, as in "Song of Myself":

And I know that the hand of God is the promise of my own,
And I know that the spirit of God is the brother of my own,
And that all the men ever born are also my brothers,
and the women my sisters and lovers,
And that a kelson of the creation is love,
And limitless are leaves stiff or drooping in the fields,
And brown ants in the little wells beneath them,
And mossy scabs of the worm fence, heap'd stones, elder, mullein
   and poke-weed.

Nature and the Environment

Another prominent theme in Whitman's poetry is the natural world. He celebrates the beauty of the earth and its creatures, as well as their interconnectedness. In poems like "Song of Myself," he portrays himself as a part of nature, rather than separate from it:

I am the mash'd fireman with breast-bone broken,
Tumbling walls buried me in their debris,
Heat and smoke I inspired, I heard the yelling shouts of my
   comrades,
I heard the distant click of their picks and shovels,
They have clear'd the beams away, they tenderly lift me forth.

I lie in the night air in my red shirt, the pervading hush is for
   my sake,
Painless after all I lie exhausted but not so unhappy,
White and beautiful are the faces around me, the heads are
   bared of their fire-caps,
The kneeling crowd fades with the light of the torches.

Whitman's poetry is imbued with a sense of wonder and awe at the natural world, and he sees it as a reflection of the divine.

Social Justice

Finally, Whitman's poetry is marked by a commitment to social justice and equality. He writes about the injustices of slavery and racism in poems like "I Sing the Body Electric" and "Song of Myself," and he advocates for the rights of women and working-class people. His poetry is a powerful call to action, urging his readers to recognize their shared humanity and work towards a more just society.

Style and Technique

Whitman's style in Poetry, With Antecedents is characterized by its free verse, unconventional line breaks, and lack of punctuation. His poetry is often compared to the rhythms of spoken language, and he uses repetition and parallelism to create a sense of musicality. His poetry is also marked by its use of lists and catalogs, which create a sense of abundance and richness.

Here is an example of his distinctive style, from "Song of Myself":

I celebrate myself, and sing myself,
And what I assume you shall assume,
For every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you.

I loafe and invite my soul,
I lean and loafe at my ease observing a spear of summer grass.

My tongue, every atom of my blood, form'd from this soil, this air,
Born here of parents born here from parents the same, and their
   parents the same,
I, now thirty-seven years old in perfect health begin,
Hoping to cease not till death.

Whitman's use of free verse and unconventional syntax was groundbreaking in his time, and it has influenced generations of poets since. His poetry is marked by its energy and vitality, as well as its emotional depth.

Interpretation

What makes Poetry, With Antecedents such a timeless work of literature? At its core, it is Whitman's ability to capture the complexity and richness of human experience. His poetry is deeply personal, but it also speaks to universal truths about love, death, and the human condition. His commitment to social justice and equality is a testament to his belief in the power of poetry to effect change in the world.

Whitman's innovations in style and technique have also had a lasting impact on American literature. His use of free verse and unconventional line breaks paved the way for modernist poets like T.S. Eliot and Ezra Pound, and his commitment to the rhythms of spoken language continues to influence poets today.

In the end, Poetry, With Antecedents is a work of art that transcends time and place. It is a celebration of the human spirit, an exploration of the mysteries of existence, and a call to action for a more just and equitable society. As such, it remains a vital and inspiring work of American literature.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

Poetry With Antecedents: A Masterpiece by Walt Whitman

Walt Whitman, one of the most celebrated poets of the 19th century, is known for his unique style of writing that revolutionized American poetry. His magnum opus, Leaves of Grass, is a collection of poems that celebrates the beauty of nature, the human body, and the spirit of democracy. Among the many poems in this collection, Poetry With Antecedents stands out as a masterpiece that captures the essence of Whitman's poetic vision.

Poetry With Antecedents is a long poem that consists of 11 sections, each exploring a different aspect of poetry. The poem begins with a declaration of the poet's mission: to create a new kind of poetry that is free from the constraints of tradition and convention. Whitman writes:

"I will make the poems of materials, for I think they are to be the most spiritual poems, And I will make the poems of my body and of mortality, For I think I shall then supply myself with the poems of my soul and of immortality."

This statement sets the tone for the rest of the poem, which is a celebration of the poet's body, mind, and spirit. Whitman believes that poetry should be a reflection of the poet's innermost thoughts and feelings, and that it should be free from the rules and regulations of traditional poetry.

In the second section of the poem, Whitman explores the antecedents of poetry, the poets who came before him and influenced his work. He pays homage to the great poets of the past, such as Shakespeare, Dante, and Homer, but he also acknowledges the influence of lesser-known poets, such as the anonymous bards who sang their songs in the streets.

Whitman's admiration for these poets is evident in his words:

"I am the poet of the Body and I am the poet of the Soul, The pleasures of heaven are with me and the pains of hell are with me, The first I graft and increase upon myself, the latter I translate into a new tongue."

In this section, Whitman is not only paying tribute to the poets who came before him, but he is also asserting his own place in the poetic tradition. He sees himself as a continuation of this tradition, but also as a departure from it, as he seeks to create a new kind of poetry that is uniquely his own.

The third section of the poem is a celebration of the human body, which Whitman sees as a source of beauty and inspiration. He writes:

"I sing the Body electric, The armies of those I love engirth me and I engirth them, They will not let me off till I go with them, respond to them, And discorrupt them, and charge them full with the charge of the Soul."

Whitman's celebration of the body is a departure from the traditional view of the body as something sinful or shameful. He sees the body as a vessel for the soul, and he believes that the two are intimately connected. This view is reflected in his poetry, which often celebrates the physical beauty of the human body.

In the fourth section of the poem, Whitman explores the relationship between poetry and nature. He sees nature as a source of inspiration for the poet, and he believes that the poet should be attuned to the rhythms of the natural world. He writes:

"I believe a leaf of grass is no less than the journey-work of the stars, And the pismire is equally perfect, and a grain of sand, and the egg of the wren, And the tree-toad is a chef-d'oeuvre for the highest, And the running blackberry would adorn the parlors of heaven."

Whitman's celebration of nature is a reflection of his belief in the interconnectedness of all things. He sees the natural world as a manifestation of the divine, and he believes that the poet's task is to capture this divine essence in his poetry.

The fifth section of the poem is a meditation on the power of poetry to heal and transform. Whitman sees poetry as a means of connecting with the deepest parts of ourselves, and he believes that it has the power to heal the wounds of the soul. He writes:

"I am the poet of the woman the same as the man, And I say it is as great to be a woman as to be a man, And I say there is nothing greater than the mother of men."

In this section, Whitman is celebrating the power of poetry to transcend gender and other social constructs. He sees poetry as a means of breaking down barriers and connecting people on a deeper level.

The sixth section of the poem is a celebration of the democratic spirit. Whitman sees democracy as a reflection of the divine, and he believes that poetry should reflect this spirit of equality and freedom. He writes:

In this section, Whitman is celebrating the power of poetry to unite people from all walks of life. He sees poetry as a means of breaking down the barriers that separate us and creating a more just and equitable society.

The seventh section of the poem is a meditation on the power of memory. Whitman sees memory as a means of connecting with the past and preserving the legacy of those who came before us. He writes:

"I am the poet of the old and the young, of the mothers and the fathers, And the offspring taken soon out of their laps."

In this section, Whitman is celebrating the power of poetry to preserve the memories of those who have passed on. He sees poetry as a means of connecting with our ancestors and preserving their legacy for future generations.

The eighth section of the poem is a celebration of the power of the imagination. Whitman sees the imagination as a means of transcending the limitations of the physical world and connecting with the divine. He writes:

In this section, Whitman is celebrating the power of poetry to transport us to other worlds and connect us with the divine. He sees poetry as a means of transcending the limitations of the physical world and connecting with the infinite.

The ninth section of the poem is a meditation on the power of love. Whitman sees love as a means of connecting with the deepest parts of ourselves and transcending the limitations of the physical world. He writes:

In this section, Whitman is celebrating the power of poetry to connect us with the deepest parts of ourselves and with others. He sees love as a means of transcending the limitations of the physical world and connecting with the infinite.

The tenth section of the poem is a meditation on the power of death. Whitman sees death as a natural part of the cycle of life, and he believes that it is something to be celebrated rather than feared. He writes:

In this section, Whitman is celebrating the power of poetry to help us come to terms with our mortality. He sees death as a natural part of the cycle of life, and he believes that it is something to be celebrated rather than feared.

The final section of the poem is a celebration of the power of the poet. Whitman sees the poet as a visionary who has the power to transform the world through his words. He writes:

In this section, Whitman is celebrating the power of poetry to transform the world. He sees the poet as a visionary who has the power to inspire and uplift others through his words.

In conclusion, Poetry With Antecedents is a masterpiece that captures the essence of Whitman's poetic vision. It is a celebration of the human body, the natural world, the democratic spirit, the power of memory, the imagination, love, death, and the power of the poet. Whitman's unique style of writing, which is free from the constraints of tradition and convention, has inspired generations of poets and readers alike. His legacy continues to live on, as his poetry continues to inspire and uplift people from all walks of life.

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