Witty Walt Whitman's Whimsical Whisty Wonderings

Step One

    Afore I begin, I must state that I fain to peer into the mind of the wondrous Walter Whitman. Wellaway, I do not read cursive handwriting verily. Meseems Mr. Whitman was frivolously scribbling down into his notebook, trying to catch his thoughts ere they flew away, which thusly influenced his penmanship. Forsooth I tried my darnedest to decipher the nonsensical scrawl, and I was filled with bewonderment at the ideas that lived betwixt the Good Grey Poet's ears. Here are some thoughts that made me say hmm:

• "Does the Queen of England represent a thousand years? And the Queen of Spain a thousand years? And you"
• "Ship of the World - Ship of Humanity -  Ship of the ages. Ship that circles the world. Ship of the hope of the world - Ship of Promise"
• Drawings of himself as a vagabond and "The Bohemian"
• "Welcome the star- welcome the trial - let the waves. Why now I shall see what the old ship is made of. Any body can sail with a fair wind, a smooth sea.

     Walt alludes to a ship several times; a Ship of Liberty, a ship of the world, seeing what an old ship is made of. Quite possibly Walt is comparing life to the sea; ever-changing, vast, untamable. Or Walt is comparing these things, ideas, and people to ships; big, pretty, cumbersome, easily sunk. Maybe Walt's "Ship of Humanity", a vessel for equality, circles the world looking for port, but is not accepted because of steadfast ideals, represented by the Queens. The absurdity of two people representing two thousand years lets the reader know that each person represents the present and shapes the future and our ideas must be crafted thusly. 

Step Two

     The "experts" of Whitman provided as apt an analysis as I, however they could put certain poems into social and historical context and provide background to Walter and his mind that I shan't be able to ever. The significant things that were discussed were Walt's parallels to Lincoln and America; a parallel of peril. Not only did Walt's views affect his muse, the President elect Lincoln, but also his life reflected the need for change that America also felt. I believe that, with a poet and thinker as astute as one Walt Whitman, it is elemental to consider all of the social, historical, geo-political, etc. aspects of a poem, as he was showing the people his views of the world, his world, Abe's world.