jenniferying

Jennifer for September 22

Twenty-eight young men bathe by the shore,
Twenty-eight young men and all so friendly,
Twenty-eight years of womanly life and all so lonesome.

She owns the fine house by the rise of the bank,
She hides handsome and richly drest aft the blinds of the window.

Which of the young men does she like the best?
Ah the homeliest of them is beautiful to her.

Where are you off to, lady? for I see you,
You splash in the water there, yet stay stock still in your room.

Dancing and laughing along the beach came the twenty-ninth bather,
The rest did not see her, but she saw them and loved them.

                                                          -Walt Whitman
                                                            Song of Myself (page 38)

In class, we discussed some ideas that this particular piece could’ve been referring to. We talked about literal and figurative analysis of this piece.

In my opinion, I would analysis this piece in a figurative way. I think Whitman is writing the poem in a women’s point of way, as in what a women would feel, for example in the last line he writes “the rest did not see her, but she saw them and loved them.” I think the “she” is actually Whitman himself because in his days of time, it would not have been appropriate to write that he himself is enjoying watching men bathe, so instead he uses a woman as a figure to express what he actually feels. He is actually the twentyninth bather.

In the 3^rd line, Whitman writes “Twenty-eight years of womanly life, and all so lonesome.” I think this is a figurative way of Whitman proceeding to tell us that he’s more into men because the line right after starts with “She owns the fine house by the rise of the bank”, after writing about how twenty eight years of womanly life, the men is all so lonesome, he changes gender and starts to writing with “She”. Because of the period of time when this poem was published, homosexuality wasn’t accepted yet, therefore he uses a woman to speak his words, and the “she” in those lines is actually him.

At first, I had a very general idea of who Walt Whitman was, that he was a famous poet.. but after Professor Karbiener explained to us what kind of man he really was, I was surprised to find out that Walt Whitman wasn’t an educated poetry man back in the days, he was a regular working class man, he was a street poet. Who would’ve thought, a blue collar man will make it so big through his works of literature when he wasn’t educated professionally. This only makes me wonder, anything IS really possible if you go for it.

When I first read “Song of Myself”, I would’ve never thought the author was someone who didn’t get to finish school, wrote such a meaningful piece of work. Not only is it long and full of hidden meanings in almost every section. And what really impressed me, was that throughout the poem, you are able to find something that you can relate yourself to.

For me, I really like these lines

“I have heard what the talkers were talking, the talk of the
beginning and the end,
But I do not talk of the beginning or the end.

There was never any more inception than there is now,
Nor any more youth or age than there is now,
And will never be any more perfection than there is now,
Nor any more heaven or hell than there is now.”

I think that Whitman is saying that he he’s heard about the before and after’s, but what’s important is what’s right now. I think he is saying it’s not about what’s happened before, or what is going to happen in the future, but, the most important thing is, what is happening right now.

Last week was my first time attending this class, and within the first half hour, I had signed up for my own blog, I’ve never had a blog before; I didn’t even know how to operate one until towards the end of class, with the help of Professor Claire.  Yet I’ve always wanted one because it’s like an electronic journal. I never made a blog before because I wouldn’t know what to write in it, hence there wouldn’t be any readers, well I still don’t know if people will read mine but at least now  I have topics to write about and so many other students entries to read from. Now I really look forward to this class because not only do we get to educate ourselves from the works of Walt Whitman and learn about him, but we are part of an innovative project called “Looking for Whitman: the Poetry of Place in the Life and Work of Walt Whitman”, how cool is that! We get to learn through poetry and be part of it. Literature class has just gotten more enjoyable

“Showing the best and dividing it from the worst age vexes age,
Knowing the perfect fitness and equanimity of things, while they
discuss I am silent, and go bathe and admire myself.”

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary online,
equanimity
Main Entry: equa·nim·i·ty
Pronunciation: \ˌē-kwə-ˈni-mə-tē, ˌe-kwə-\
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural equa·nim·i·ties
1 : evenness of mind especially under stress <nothing could disturb his equanimity>
2 : right disposition : balance <physical equanimity>
After reading through this definition, I could only figure out that equanimity had to do with being able to set your mind straight even when stressed, so i went on dictionary.com and i found this definition ;
e⋅qua⋅nim⋅i⋅ty
–mental or emotional stability or composure, esp. under tension or strain; calmness; equilibrium.
-the quality of being calm and even-tempered; composure.
Synonyms:
serenity, self-possession, aplomb.
Antonyms:
panic, disquiet, discomposure, agitation.

After reading the second definition, in my words, i think equanimity is being in a state of tranquility under stress or tension. I choose this picture of the even water ripple because it shows the balance of water on each side , just like being able to balance your thoughts when there’s alot going on, and yet this picture is very calming.  In Whitman’s lines, i feel like he is saying that he is able to keep a good poise through things. Well, when I am undergoing stress or tension, i usually listen to relaxing and instrumental music to keep my mind straight, and also a cup of tea works everytime :), so tell me what are some things you guys do when you are trying to reach”equanimity” ?

“I am of old and young, of the foolish as much as the wise,
Regardless of others, ever regardful of others,
Breathe the air but leave plenty after me,
And am not stuck up, and am in my place.
I exist as I am, that is enough,
If no other in the world be aware I sit content,
And if each and all be aware I sit content.”

– Walt Whitman

Welcome to Looking for Whitman. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start blogging!