Walt Whitman Lecture: Poet of Body and Soul (Patreon)

Today we are appreciating a curation of poetic masterworks from Walt Whitman: 'The Sleepers,' 'I Sing the Body Electric,' 'As I Ebb'd with the Ocean of Life,' and 'Song of Myself.'

We're talking about existential crisis, wisdom literature, symbolism, empathising with others, body and soul, the unconscious, dreams, mortality, self-love, the Shakespearean in the Whitmanian, and much more.  

Timestamps:

• 0:00 the healing power of Whitman’s poetry
• 3:00 the power of rereading great poetry
• 5:00 poetry appreciation for ‘The Sleepers’
• 8:00 ‘I wander all night in my vision’
• 13:00 how to find your personal rhythm
• 15:00 ‘I become the other dreamers’
• 18:00 equality, mortality & spirituality
• 22:00 Whitman vs Shakespeare’s Hamlet
• 25:00 ‘everyone that sleeps is beautiful’
• 28:00 poet speaks to us from the coffin
• 34:00 dreams of drowning & shipwrecks
• 38:00 ‘the myth of heaven indicates the soul’
• 41:00 poetic return to the preconscious state
• 44:00 self-love & uniting with the collective
• 46:00 appreciating ‘I Sing the Body Electric’
• 49:00 Whitman wonders about the soul
• 51:00 ‘the expression of a well-made man’
• 53:00 ‘to be with those I like is enough’
• 55:00 presentation of male & female form
• 59:00 ‘the flush of the known universe’
• 1:02:00 Whitman improves our empathy
• 1:04:00 how to relish Whitman’s catalogues
• 1:06:00 ‘As I Ebb’d with the Ocean of Life’
• 1:08:00 Walt Whitman’s existential crisis
• 1:12:00 washed up leaves on the shore of life
• 1:15:00 ‘ebb ocean of life, the flow will return’
• 1:16:00 the influence of William Shakespeare
• 1:18:00 the real Whitman stands untouched
• 1:20:00 further appreciating ‘Song of Myself’
• 1:21:00 leaf of grass as journeywork of the stars
• 1:25:00 book club response to Walt Whitman
• 1:27:00 medicinal value of Whitman’s poetry
• 1:30:00 grass as the uncut hair of graves
• 1:32:00 Whitman helps us see & hear clearly
• 1:36:00 spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings
• 1:39:00 the musical power of Whitman’s poetry
• 1:41:00 the poet’s intimate tone & tactile nature
• 1:44:00 ‘whoever degrades another degrades me’
• 1:46:00 the next poems up for discussion

Resources to Explore:

• Poetic Influence: We can locate much of the biblical, Shakespearean, and romantic running through Whitman's poetic veins. You might find it useful to read Hamlet's soliloquies up against Whitman's poetry. If you have a good anthology of poetry (like this one and this one), you might find it rewarding to turn to Wordsworth and Shelley. For biblical literature, spend some time with Ecclesiastes and the Psalms. 
• Man and His Symbols: Many have found it rewarding to read the poetry of Walt Whitman through a Jungian lens. If you're interested to know more about symbolism, dreams, and Jungian psychology, I highly recommend checking out the essays in this volume.
• Mindfulness Exercise: After reading Whitman's poetry, spend some time outside in the natural world. Do you find your perception heightened or altered in any way? You may find it useful to focus on two sensual impressions simultaneously (like sight and sound, or smell and touch) when you want more grounding. I also like to use Whitman's poetry as an opportunity to check in to my body and the present moment
• Audio: If you would like to listen to the original 1855 Leaves of Grass beautifully read, I highly recommend Benjamin Crow's superb narration here. For a music inspired by the Lilacs elegy, Ethan McGrath's composition is gorgeous. There's a tremendous reading of 'Out of the Cradle Endlessly Rocking' here. And for 'Crossing Brooklyn Ferry', Brooklyn Public Library conducted a very impressive recitation here.
• Film Recommendation: If you haven't seen the 1989 film Dead Poets Society, starring Robin Williams, I highly recommend giving it a watch as it's incredibly complementary for a reading of Whitman's poetry. You can check out some great clips from the film here, here, here, and here.

Poetry Reading Assignment:

In our next discussion, we will appreciate the following poems: 'When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom'd,' 'Out of the Cradle Endlessly Rocking,' and 'Crossing Brooklyn Ferry.' I also recommend treating yourself to a viewing of Dead Poets Society.

Questions for You:

1) What is your personal response to Whitman's poetry? 

2) Does Whitman's poetry change the way you see the world?

3) What are the greatest challenges and rewards with Whitman's poetry? 

And please do share with us your favourite lines, images, and ideas you've discovered from your reading of the poetry of Walt Whitman.

Happy reading, everybody!