Walt Whitman and War

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Walt Whitman was a revolutionary poet who let his emotions run free through his poetry. Whitman was never afraid to express himself no matter how inappropriate or offensive his emotions might have seemed at the time. This is why Whitman's poem still echo that same sentiment and emotion today almost as loudly as when the drums were first tapped.

Life in its ever-evolving glory seems at times to be nothing more than a serious of random events that lead us from one place to another. It takes many years of grace and wisdom to see that life is much more than that. Life is far bigger than any one person or group of people. Life is a lesson and sometimes lessons need to repeat. Life during the time of Walt Whitman was oddly and sadly similar to our very own time in some ways. Like us, Whitman dealt in "Leaves of Grass" with living in a nation during wartimes; and if you can say anything about war, it is that, it is never fast and never easy.

"Arm'd year-year of the struggle,

No dainty rhymes or sentimental love verses for you terrible

year" ( Whitman 227).

War tears down nations, piece by piece bit by bit; and even though the civil war is different from the war, we have waged now some things remain the same. As nation we stand divided, mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, aunts, uncles, cousin are at odds. They may not have to meet each other at the front line of the battle. There, however still is a battle happening within the once harmonious walls of the average American home.

Although it has not been that long, it feels as if things have come full circle. Once again, it is North Vs. South. The only difference is that we are not fighting each other in the same sense. Our battles are verbal not physical, they ar...

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... the whole rest of the earth,

I dream'd that was the new city of Friends,

Nothing was greater there than the quality of robust love, it led

the rest,

It was seen every hour in the actions of the men of that city,

And in all their looks and words" (Whitman 107).

Walt Whitman's dream is a dream that this country knows all to well. It was once a reality and is something that we miss. I hope that one day we will not have to dream about it, with a bit of luck it will become a reality. One day the world will know about the peace that Walt dreamed. This country will unite, the world will unite and love will reign over all and lead us home to happiness. I believe on a clear day if you lay in leaves of grass and close your eyes this dream will come true.

Works Cited

Whitman, Walt "Leaves of Grass." New York: Bantam Books, 1983. 107-273

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