Simpson Vs Walt Whitman Essay

In contrast to Whitman, Simpson's war poems receive more detailed expression about death and loss of others' souls. Simpson's poetic career pushes him to acknowledge us that Whitman's idealistic vision of American and its civilization is failed. As much as Whitman's poems full of life and happiness, Simpson cannot neglect to speak about death and sadness. He always intends to shed more light on death theme because he believes that it recurs directly and indirectly in our lives as a result of wars and capitalism. The conclusion of Simpson’s poem"To The Western World" reflect his gloomy sight of America. He says,

In this America, this wilderness

Where the axe echoes with a lonely sound,

The generations labor to possess

And grave by grave we civilize the ground. (12-15) Furthermore, Simpson’s poem"Walt Whitman at Bear Mountain,", indicates the contradictions between these two poets. indirectly and ironically, Simpson detracts the greatness of Whitman's optimistic nation. He raises a doubtful quistion to Walt Whitman. He asks,

"Where are you, Walt?

The Open Road goes to the used-car lot.

"Where is the nation you promised? (8-10) For this reason, Simpson writes his autobiography North of Jamaica and clarifies why hi disagrees with Whitman's precursor's vision about America. He says,

The mountains had been crossed, the land had been gobbled up, and industry was turning out more goods than people could consume. Also, the democracy Whitman celebrated, the instinctive rightness of the common man, was very much in doubt. Now we were governed by the rich, and the masses were hopelessly committed to an economy based on war. It was a curious thing that a man could write great poetry and still be mistaken in his ideas.