Never too Late to Read Classics discussion

The poems of Leaves of Grass are loosely connected, with each representing Whitman's celebration of his philosophy of life and humanity. This book is notable for its discussion of delight in sensual pleasures during a time when such candid displays were considered immoral.

I read the final version of Leaves of Grass last month and was amazed at the vigor and energy of his poetry. Whitman's love of humanity and his country also shines through his verse. If you only read one poem, "Song of Myself" is the poem to start with.
Then you will read more!

I plan read this and join in the discussion. Just need to get the book at the library.

I hope to read the book too. May not be able to finish in time but will be happy to share my impressions and thought on what I will manage to complete.

Anna, you can finish the book any time and still comment. What is great about poems is that you can share poems you like.

Anna, Please do not feel like you need to read the entire book if you can only fit in a poem or two.

Just enjoy the read. Do not feel pressure to complete.That is not how our group works!

Happy Reading!

I havent read the whole book yet, only some poems. But one of the poems catch my attencion - Oh me Oh life. :)

Please share any titles of poems that you like. Because it is poetry, you don't have to read the whole book. I find that
Whitman is a very energetic poet.

On the spine of his debut book, Leaves of Grass, he had printed in gold leaf a line teased from a letter he’d gotten from Ralph Waldo Emerson: “I greet you at the beginning of a great career.”

Rosemarie, I have to agree, one poem from this book? please take the time to read Song of Myself, it is quite lengthy, but it is very alive, vivid. It feels like a cascading waterfall!

Song of Myself is wonderful.
And please share as many poems as you wish, since there are so many great ones. The version of Leaves of Grass that I had contained all his poems.
The poems dedicated to Abraham Lincoln are very special poems too.

I want to share this poem, its one of my favourite :) It is called TEARS
In this poem Whitman personifies storm and he compares it to a lonely person

http://whitmanarchive.org/published/L... - here is the link

Thank you for the link, Mildred.

Mildred, Thank you so much for the link. I read it and reread it on lunch break. SO Beautiful!

I know that here we are discussed books, but I want recommend a movie - Dead poets society
It is about english teacher who try to show to his students a different point of view on poetry and life.
And the reason I choose this movie is because there are a lot of mentions about Walt Whitman and main character reads his poems and propagates his ideas
If it interests somebody, here is the link about more information about movie - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097165/?...

I saw Dead Poets Society and highly recommend it.

I've recently finished "Song of Myself" and find some parts very understandable and some not. I especially like those verses that are straightforward in what Whitman is trying to say. Like #32:

I think I could turn and live with animals, they are so
placid and self-contain'd;
I stand and look at them long and long.
They do not sweat and whine about their condition;
They do not lie awake in the dark and weep for their
sins;
They do not make me sick discussing their duty to God;
Not one is dissatisfied--not one is demented with the
mania of owning things;
Not one kneels to another, not to his kind that lived
thousands of years ago;
Not one is respectable or industrious over the whole earth.

I nice choice Kathy!