Wow, I love this. I surprisingly grew up with Walt and many other poets, which were read to me by my mother in rural western Kentucky. This essay is like a comfort meal after a cold hard days work on the farm. It really warms my heart. In this negative horrible world it’s do nice to read about a soul who loved the same things I love. Thank you. It gives me hope.
thank you so much -- "comfort meal after a cold hard days work on the farm" might be the nicest thing anyone has ever said about my writing to me, and exactly what I aspire to do :) Warms my heart that you love these things to, I thought as I posted that maybe nobody would like this one
This project of yours, which speaks from and to your own modernity ‘about the affairs of regular people and the things that matter in the heart’ truly honours WW and is a clear demonstration of how his influence and affect survives even the grimmest of times xx
This was lovely. So many thoughts generated. One is a good and appropos quote from Lincoln, “Never would I be a slave, nor would I be a master. That, to me, is the meaning of democracy. “ and from Harry Bosch of the mystery series by Michael Connelly, “Either everyone matters or no one matters.” You have inspired me to lean into Whitman a bit when I next teach Am History this fall to college freshman.
I like "either everyone matters or no one matters." That's the crux of the situation. Those students are lucky to have your perspective and to lean into Whitman with you! It's part of what made me fascinated by that era of history, to see it through him and other people like Dickinson and Douglass who are so interesting.
This is very beautiful, and a balm to my soul. The spirit of Whitman is indeed important to invoke these days since probably no other country could have produced such a full-throated, unabashed visionary and idealist. And no other country could trample so mercilessly over everything he represented. These extremes are very American. By the way, I agree — we are fucked.
Thanks for a lovely piece. Speaking of lilacs, a while ago I was trying to write a humor piece about how the Trump admin was canceling spring — they’d send out ICE-like armies to shoot poison into every space in a park where flowers grow. I still can’t believe they’ve let spring flowers slip through their hateful net.
Wow, I love this. I surprisingly grew up with Walt and many other poets, which were read to me by my mother in rural western Kentucky. This essay is like a comfort meal after a cold hard days work on the farm. It really warms my heart. In this negative horrible world it’s do nice to read about a soul who loved the same things I love. Thank you. It gives me hope.
thank you so much -- "comfort meal after a cold hard days work on the farm" might be the nicest thing anyone has ever said about my writing to me, and exactly what I aspire to do :) Warms my heart that you love these things to, I thought as I posted that maybe nobody would like this one
This project of yours, which speaks from and to your own modernity ‘about the affairs of regular people and the things that matter in the heart’ truly honours WW and is a clear demonstration of how his influence and affect survives even the grimmest of times xx
Thank you so much! We all gotta honor the legacy of WW
good stuff, enjoyed this non-meme detour
i think the trinity is the same. lincoln father, guy as twink, bird holy spirit
This was lovely. So many thoughts generated. One is a good and appropos quote from Lincoln, “Never would I be a slave, nor would I be a master. That, to me, is the meaning of democracy. “ and from Harry Bosch of the mystery series by Michael Connelly, “Either everyone matters or no one matters.” You have inspired me to lean into Whitman a bit when I next teach Am History this fall to college freshman.
I like "either everyone matters or no one matters." That's the crux of the situation. Those students are lucky to have your perspective and to lean into Whitman with you! It's part of what made me fascinated by that era of history, to see it through him and other people like Dickinson and Douglass who are so interesting.
Awesome. I love Uncle Walt and adored this. Thank you! More please!
Beautiful
This is very beautiful, and a balm to my soul. The spirit of Whitman is indeed important to invoke these days since probably no other country could have produced such a full-throated, unabashed visionary and idealist. And no other country could trample so mercilessly over everything he represented. These extremes are very American. By the way, I agree — we are fucked.
Thanks for a lovely piece. Speaking of lilacs, a while ago I was trying to write a humor piece about how the Trump admin was canceling spring — they’d send out ICE-like armies to shoot poison into every space in a park where flowers grow. I still can’t believe they’ve let spring flowers slip through their hateful net.