A Non-Chocolate Whitman's Sampler...

A Non-Chocolate Whitman's Sampler...

With Valentine’s day right around the corner, this is my less fattening Whitman's sampler contribution to the day.
I really love this excerpt from Walt Whitman’s “Song of Myself"

“My respiration and inspiration…the beating of my heart.......
The passing of blood and air through my lungs,....
The sniff of green leaves and dry leaves, and of the shore and....
Dark colored sea rocks, and of hay in the barn…....
The delight alone or in the rush of the streets, or along the fields....
And hillsides,....
The feeling of health…the full moon trill…the song of me....
rising from bed and meeting the sun....."


In some ways, we have lost our ability to feel wonder about the magic of our beating hearts, the blood coursing through our veins, the simple joy of just being out & about in nature. With spring fast approaching, Whitman’s words strike a special chord with my soul. I remember in my youth, the feeling that spring engendered in me. The inexhaustible energy of that youth…railing against Nixon and his duplicitous bombing of Cambodia. The eventual killing of students at Kent State in the spring of 1970. I remember the incredible surge of my own respiration & inspiration when I first heard Neil Young’s “Ohio”. Even now, I can still feel that surge whenever I hear :

"Tin soldiers and Nixon's coming
We're finally on our own
This summer I hear the drumming
Four dead in Ohio"


Walt lived through the turmoil of the Civil War which claimed thousands of young lives. He saw horrible carnage as a volunteer nurse and wrote the beautiful poetry collection “Leaves of Grass” which at the time was described as obscene for its overt sexuality.

Nixon caused thousands of deaths, issued forth no beautiful or inspirational words and yet what he did at the time was not considered obscene.

Anyway, I’m careening all over the road today in my thoughts. I want to get back to my main point. It feels damn good to be alive. When I help friends of mine load hay for their barns, I get to “sniff” Whitman’s hay in the barn. When I feel the warmth of the sun on my body, I feel the essence of Whitman’s “song of me”. Whitman’s rush of the streets reminds me of people watching at Santa Monica’s Third Street Promenade with my older daughter several years ago. Classical guitar players, magicians, clowns, lounge singers, aging & ageless hippies. What a feast for the eyes in the rush of that street.
I’ll think I’ll end this with a little help from some C S N & Y lyrics & Monsieur Whitman….Rejoice, rejoice, we have no choice but to carry on the song of ourselves...
Post Comment

Comments (10)

Loved your blog. thumbs up wish I could comment properly but today is not my day for words.laugh
Elkself...thanks for the acknowledgement....it's always nice to be acknowledged
Ekself..sorry for inserting the L in your name..tis late and twere a sloppy move laugh
Seriously? No chocolates?wow ..laugh Nice blog andcswelcome wave
Lilith..alas, alack a chocolate-less blog as we approach Val day...but your kind words are very sweet
laugh not to worry. Hope lots read your blog so they can remember they are alive and what it is to be alive. wave
Daniela

Glad that you were inspired and thanks for the gracious comments
Ekself...unfortunately not many are feeling alive. I see many zombies walking the streets.

And the others are wandering about in virtual reality.laugh
Daniela...The zombies appear to be intersecting with the wanderers in virtual reality...a very busy intersection
Just saw " Darkest Hour"
Churchill certainly knew what it felt like to be alive.
Post Comment - Let others know what you think about this Blog.
Meet the Author of this Blog
TUPLDRF

TUPLDRF

Lancaster, Pennsylvania, USA

Listed below are few of my many passions : The “next moment” & its unlimited possibilities ..Listening to anyone’s life story .. History in general ..The beauty of well-earned fatigue {like after a challenging hike} ..An exquisitely well- written pie [read more]

About this Blog

created Feb 2018
669 Views
Last Viewed: Mar 22
Last Commented: Feb 2018
TUPLDRF has 5 other Blogs

Like this Blog?

Do you like this Blog? Why not let the Author know. Click the button to like the Blog. And your like will be added. Likes are anonymous.

Feeling Creative?