Walt Whitman

I do not claim to have a clear understanding of all or any of the selected readings by Walt Whitman. I think of poetry as an outward expression of personal feelings. Does anyone ever really know what it's like to walk in someone else's shoes? The reader does not know exactly what Whitman felt on different subjects or what his deepest feeling were. Yes, we know the main subject of his poems. Do we know what he thought about the writings? I am sure if I researched Whitman's life his writings would be clearer to me.

                How much can you really know about what a man who died over one hundred years ago? Some may argue you can know lots, but do you know his deepest most personal thoughts? Whitman uses nature in his writings almost constantly. What did the waves on the sea mean to Whitman? What do they mean to the reader. Someone from Indonesia may think of the waves of the sea as terrifying. Those waves wiped away Cities, property and family. To me, the waves of the sea are calming and I look forward to relaxing while listening to them crashing  on the sandy beach. This is a extreme example. I do believe it applies  on a lesser scale. Whitman's many writings  can help readers understand how he felt. I do not believe anyone knows exactly what all the words on the paper were meant to say.

                I have little knowledge about Whitman as a person or a poet. I do believe he had a strong relationship with nature. He constantly refers to birds, wind, plants and the sea. He uses  the images of nature to describe every situation. I imagine him writing while sitting in the middle of the wilderness. I believe Whitman loved nature and thought it was pure. If I were to attempt to interpret his writings further, I feel it necessary to try to understand who he is first.