“I Hear America Singing”

Poetry Project By: Caitlyn Bolduc

Walt Whitman

•“Second of nine children, Whitman was born in 1819 on Long Island, New York, to Quaker parents.”

•“He died in Camden, New Jersey, at age 72.”

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walt_Whitman

School, Family, And Interesting Facts•“At age eleven he left school to work as

an office boy in a law firm.”•“Focused on his own work.”•“Second of Nine Children.”•“Published poems and short stories in

various periodicals.”

http://www.oocities.org/grammyof9_ca/CharlesWhitman6.html

Influences

•“Walt Whitman's love for his country and his faith in the nation's citizenry.”

•“Felling threated by the new president-elects views.”

•“By the time of the firsts major battle of the war, the Battle of Bull Run on July 1,1861, all of the southern slaves states were members of the Confederacy.”

What Makes Whitman’s Poetry Unique

Free Verse •no regular pattern of rhyme.• including individualism and work ethic

http://www.elephantjournal.com/2010/10/yoga-spirituality-and-the-body-wa/

Poem I hear America singing, the varied carols I hear, Those of mechanics, each one singing his as it should be blithe and strong, The carpenter singing his as he measures his plank or beam, The mason singing his as he makes ready for work, or leaves off work, The boatman singing what belongs to him in his boat, the deck- hand singing on the steamboat deck, The shoemaker singing as he sits on his bench, the hatter singing as he stands, The woodcutter's song, the ploughboy's on his way in the morn- ing, or at noon intermission or at sundown, The delicious singing of the mother, or of the young wife at work, or of the girl sewing or washing, Each singing what belongs to him or her and to none else, The day what belongs to the day—at night the party of young fellows, robust, friendly, Singing with open mouths their strong melodious songs.

Poetic Device 1

Personification

•“I hear America signing”

It is saying that the country America is singing. This is impossible for this to happen

Poetic Device 2

Imagery •“The delicious singing of the mother.”•“Shoemaker singing as he sits on his

bench.” •“Girl sweing or washing.”

Poetic Device 3

Metaphor -“I hear America singing.”

•substitutes America the country for American people singing.

Theme

•“When Walt Whitman expresses his awe at these Americans singing, he is making a statement.”

In this poem Walt Whitman is describing how he sees the people working. This shows that Walt was there inn the time and he is telling us through poetry what he sees.