Lit
I Sing the Body Electric by Walt Whitman
On the celebration of the 200th anniversary of America's bard, here's to Walt Whitman, America's poet.
Song of Myself by Walt Whitman
To me, this is the most important poem ever written and shared with the world, more important to what it is to be an American than the Constitution, Bill of Rights, The Gettysburg Address, or even the Declaration of Independence. The I Have a Dream speech is this poem's brother.
O Captain! My Captain! by Walt Whitman
On the 200th year of his death, Walt Whitman's most popularly famous poem.
I Hear America Singing by Walt Whitman
In memoriam on Memorial Day and in memory of the death of Walk Whitman 200 years ago, America's poet.
Song of Myself, V by Walt Whitman
"Loafe with me on the grass, loose the stop from your throat," is one of my favorite lines of poetry.
Song Of Myself, XVI by Walt Whitman
This poem is an essential read as American is broken apart by people who believe themselves to be better—superior even—than their fellow citizens, "I resist any thing better than my own diversity, / Breathe the air but leave plenty after me, / And am not stuck up, and am in my place."
Song Of Myself, XXIV by Walt Whitman
This poem contains one of my favorite stanzas, "Unscrew the locks from the doors! / Unscrew the doors themselves from their jambs! / Whoever degrades another degrades me, / And whatever is done or said returns at last to me."
The Pure Contralto Sings In The Organ Loft by Walt Whitman
I don't know why I remember it, but the line, "the pure contralto sings in the organ loft," seared itself into my brain—maybe because "contralto" was a new word to me.
Out of the Cradle Endlessly Rocking by Walt Whitman
What a wonderful song, what a wonderful poem, from Walt Whitman, heralding the Summertime.
Bartleby, the Scrivener, by Herman Melville
While this short story is over 166-years-old, I find myself referencing this Melville classic almost every single day. It's even a current t-shirt meme. Here's the full text. If you love me, you should read this. If only to be in on the joke. "Ah Bartleby! Ah humanity!"
Gather Ye Rosebuds by Robert Herrick
If you've ever taken an early American literature course in college, this is indeed a class favorite. "To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time" is a poem written by English Cavalier poet Robert Herrick in the 17th century. First published in 1648 as number 208 in a volume of verse entitled Hesperides, it is perhaps one of the most famous poems to extol the notion of carpe diem, a philosophy that recognizes the brevity of life and, therefore, the need to live for and in the moment.
Document Actions