Text

1

I celebrate myself, and sing myself,

And what I assume you shall assume,

For every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you.

 

I loafe and invite my soul,

I lean and loafe at my ease observing a spear of summer grass.

 

My tongue, every atom of my blood, form’d from this soil, this air,

Born here of parents born here from parents the same, and their parents the same,

I, now thirty-seven years old in perfect health begin,

Hoping to cease not till death.

 

Creeds and schools in abeyance,

Retiring back a while sufficed at what they are, but never forgotten,

I harbor for good or bad, I permit to speak at every hazard,

Nature without check with original energy.

 

Analyze:

The stanza 1 of the Song of Myself is the most appealing to me. In the beginning, the author emphasizes the philosophical significance of egocentrism by “celebrate myself, and sing myself”. In the second, third and sixth lines, he enhances this point by undifferentiating the individuals, and reveals that he insisted that everyone should be equal because everyone is composed by atom coming from nature, such as soil, air, and air, we all have the same liability, and we are all born in the same place – nature. This raises the whole poem to a political level – “Democracy”. In the fourth and fifth line, he talked about the coexistence of spirituality and people. Even the most basic object, such as soil and air can impact our physical and spiritual existence. From the seventh line to the eleventh line, Walt Whiteman challenged the convention stating that he doesn’t want to live under the fetter of “Creeds and schools”, which means the convention, and he will fight for this until death. We should never forget the tradition, but we also should not be constrained by it. Walt Whiteman encouraged people to explore everything without any constraints of the tradition. He wants people to know that the world is new, and needs us to describe and explore it by innovation. Free from the constraints of the convention can help us “observe a spear of summer grass”, which means broaden our views. In the last two lines, he promotes the democracy again. He though everyone is equal and has the liberty of speech. Everyone has the right to express his own idea about everything, and this right should not be prevented by any kind of energy or force.