Excerpts for Walt Whitman

Found  some dusty books of classic poems. You know the type of ancient tomes  that get dropped off at church book sales.  No one wants to read them any more. I have tons of them. A bit musty, a bit old ( the books, that is) . Full of  ancient words. One writer  I found, by surprise,  is King Henry the VII. He writes about partying all day and night at court with great enthusiasam and lots of wine.

I also found one of my favourites:  Walt Whitman (1819-1892) 

"Excerpts From Song of Myself" (1856) Absolutely fabulous imagery.....

 A child said, What is the grass? Fetching it to me with full hands;

 How could I answer the child? I do not know what it is any more than he.

 I guess that is the hankerchief of the Lord.

 I exist as I am, that is enough, If no other in the world be aware I sit content, and if each and all be aware I sit content.

 I believe a leaf of grass is  no less than the journey work of the stars, and the pismire ( an ant) is equally perfect, and a grain of sand, and the egg of the wren.

 Stop this day and night with me and you shall possess the origin of all poems, you shall possess the good of the earth and sun.

 The running blackberry would adorn the parlours of heaven.

 I think I could turn and live with animals, they are so placid and self contained. I stand and look at them long enough.

 Earth! You seem to look for something at my hands, say, Old Top Knot, what do you want?

 I see something of God each hour of the twenty four, and each moment then.

 Stop this day and stand with me.

 You shall possess the good of the earth and the sun.

 I am the poet of the woman the same as man.

 And I say it as great to be a woman as to be a man.

 And I say there is nothing greater than the mother of men.

 I am he that walks with the tender and growing night.

 O call to the earth and sea half-held by the night.

 I loafe and invite my soul.......

Photography: Michelle McConachie Woods, 2016