“Years of the Modern” is the poem that was particularly interesting to me this evening while I read for Thursday because it was one of the poems that related directly with my Material Cultural Museum project. Because my project was on the telegraph, I noticed a lot of the technological connections that Whitman attempted to make in regards to the expansion of acceptance between races and cultural combinations of the peoples of America and the internationally. In this poem, I noticed that Whitman is discussing the progression of not only America, but other countries as well in regards to technology, freedoms, and breaking of boundaries.
Whitman always seemed to be an advocate of the self – to be self-indulgent and then further, to be proud of it. From this poem, I get the sense that Whitman is alluding to being quite the opposite; instead of being involved in oneself, to be involved in the development of onself with others and the greater good of the country and humanity.
I really like the part where Whitman says, “Are all nations communing? is there going to be but one heart to the globe?” (Whitman, 598). I feel like in this instance, Whitman is pointing to the idea that internationally there is an effort to come together in understanding of other people and other viewpoints, no matter what the subject.
Another great poem from the selection for Thursday was “Song at Sunset” because I could completely imagine the sunset that Whitman describes, even though I can never experience exactly what he was experiencing in that moment. I think it’s wonderful how Whitman relishes in the events of the day and how he is completely amazed by even the smallest things. This amazement in minor items can be seen in “Leaves of Grass” like when he mentions “mullein” and similar weed-like flowers. It is within the mundane things that Whitman feels most connected and attracted to. Back to “Song at Sunset” – Whitman says, “O amazement of things – even the least particle!” – he is specifically pointing out the volume that even the littest items possess.
My reactions to pages 607-608: Why the heck are these poems so short?? Are they even poems; seems more like “line-ers”, whatever that may mean…they are just snipits of Whitman’s mind, like he couldn’t even decide what to write about so he just kind of threw some quick thoughts on the page. Was this to make the reader confused, to question his purpose, to question even more the greatness of these ideas, something else?!
What about “Portals” (608), I wonder…Whitman alludes to the portals of death-moving from life to death but portals in general are just a transition from one stage in life to another; the transcendence of a state of being into another. The power of portals is incredible when one thinks about life in general in that every situation or event or person is meant for a special purpose. Perhaps each of these things is a metaphorical portal that carries a person from ignorance into revelation. I can see that Whitman’s writing can be viewed as a portal into his mind and imagination, as small as the portal may be, it’s possible.
”
