t ablaze as he catalogues his mother earth. “Smile O voluptuous cool-breath’d earth, Earth of the slumbering and liquid tress, earth of the departed sunset-earth of the mountainous misty-topt, earth of the vitreous pour of the full moon just tinged with blue…” (pg. 42)Whitman celebrates his love for the earth as one who has a conventional religion celebrates their love for what they believe in. All aspects are sacred of mother earth in the eyes of the poet, as are all facets of belief in the heart of a conventional religious person. Whitman express how great this love is that he feels for his planet by expressing himself unworthy of such greatness. “ Prodigal, you have given me love- therefore I to you give love, O unspeakable passionate love.” (pg. 42) Whitman blatantly expresses himself almost to the point of being stale on how much the earth means to him. Looking past the almost cornieness of this statement, some very powerful messages can be derived from it. Mother earth to the poet, is loved more then words themselves can even express. This is such a powerful statement in this epic poem, because it expresses the reader that no matter how much the American poet should right he can never truly say what he wants to. Again, another blatant example of one of the many contradictions in the poetry of Whitman. He calls out everyone to express themselves on their true unequivocal loves, yet here he admits that no one is really worthy enough to express themselves for such a great love such as nature. Whitman is writing this poem for democracy, or as he see it, the American people. What Whitman says is not only meant by him to be used by the proverbial poet he speaks of, but of all people in general. We are all poets in the eyes of Walt Whitman, but he feels that none of us even himself can say what honestly should be said about what we love.His unwavering aspects of all details of life can truly absorb Wh...
