Poems 4/4/14 Flashcards
(W) Song of Myself 1
Celebration of himself Speaker and soul slightly different Romanticized “For every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you.”
(W) Song of Myself 10
Different personalities including hunter, captain In West to see marriage of beaver trapper and “red” Native American girl Takes a runaway slave, helping him out Trust of everybody, inviting of all “You should have been with us that day, round the chowder-kettle.”
(W) Song of Myself 33
Ridiculously long one Catalog of nature all supposedly during hot air balloon ride Definite articles; “the” not “a” Never dwelling on any one thing, continually imaginatively observing Free companion Towards end death reaches him “I do not ask the wounded person how he feels, I myself become the wounded person.” “Fly those flights of fluid and swallowing soul.” “I am afoot with my vision.”
(W) Song of Myself 52
Melt into landscape to end it all Legacy lives on Passed on to “you” “Thee spotted hawk swoops by and accuses me, he complains of my gab.”
(W) I Hear America Singing
“Varied carols” of Americans Celebrating American democracy, individualism Mechanic, carpenter, boatman, etc. Glorification of American labor Epitomizes Whitman’s love of America “Each singing what belongs to him or her and to none else.”
(W) A Sight in Camp in the Daybreak Gray and Dim
Meets old dude, young dude, medium dude Think Goldilocks (selfishly) All about Union in Civil war Christ last “soldier” —-> Importance of outcome of war Justification for loss of innocence Cost of war for young and old alike “Who are you my dear comrade?”
(W) Reconciliation
Attempt at reconciliation, but enemy already dead Kisses dead enemy Humanity of opponent” “Sister Night” represents Anger, “Sister Death” represents Hatred White face in coffin “… For my enemy is dead—a man divine as myself is dead;”
(W) A March in the Ranks Hard-Prest, And the Road Unknown
In Church that became an “impromptu” hospital Horrors in hospital If you see parentheses, it’s this one “White as a lily” means reborn, rebirth, sacrifice “Fain” —-> don’t forget their sacrifice “Then before I depart I sweep my eyes o’er the scene fain to absorb it all,” “The unknown road still marching.”
(D) The Soul Selects Her Own Society
Choose one to trust, then shut the doors “Unmoved” by anyone, including Chariots and Emperor Only a small group of people that she finds important “Unmoved, she notes the chariot’s pausing.”
(D) Some Keep the Sabbath Going to Church
Don’t have to do all this crap for a heaven Dickinson somewhat of a deist Satirically don’t have to do that much to go to heaven “So instead of Getting to heaven, at last-I’m going, all along.”
(D) Much Madness is Divinest Sense
Be like the majority to be normal If not like the majority, will be punished—->chain in last line symbolic of this “‘Tis the Majority/In this, as All, prevail.”
(D) Because I could not stop for Death *
Discusses what existence is like after death Repetition of word ground Death not reaper but instead courteous and gentle guide, leading her to eternity Passes school children Slowly gets darker “I first surmised the Horses Heads/Were toward Eternity”
(D) I heard a fly buzz-when I died
The “light” is a metaphor for deity—->“Between the light-and me” Thinks she will see a “King” on deathbed Fly comes between light and her, her religious fulfillment and mundane reality Reminiscing about own death—->recounting death, little different angle than other poems (HINT HINT) “With Blue-uncertain stumbling Buzz-/Between the light-and me-“
(D) I died for Beauty-but was scarce
Beauty and Truth the same-they’re one; brethren, kinsman She died for beauty, other dude for truth Asks question is something beautiful true, is something true beautiful Quotes (dialogue) in this one “And covered up our names.”
(D) Apparently with no surprise
Sun unmoved, god approving when flower beheaded Flower metaphor, its beheading taken dramatically “Blonde assassin” referred to is frost “The frost beheads it at its play.”
