I've been really thinking lately about how Walt would survive in the modern world. I think my recent ruminations on what modern poets Walt would like has got me looking at the world around me from the man's perspective . . . or what little I know of his perspective.
So in the interest of providing a modern perspective on the greatest 19th century poet in the entire world (in my humble opinion), I'm going to think of some modern inventions and conventions that Walt Whitman could have used, and then talk about how that thing fits into an understanding of his life in the 19th century.
We know, for example, that the entire Whitman family suffered from financial distress. So much so that Walt himself was forced to move in with his family and be given 'round the clock care for his ailments. He wasn't the only sick person in his immediate family, and not even the only sick person dying in their home at the same time. In fact, pretty much all the Whitmans, extended family included, suffered from a lack of finances to help take care of them as they suffered through what sounds like a fairly miserable existence.
To that end, organizations like The Financial Services Compensation Scheme in the UK and the FDIC in Whitman's home nation of the United States provide protected accounts for savings in the "unlikely event that something happens to your bank," according to the FSCS website. You see, it isn't that Whitman never made money; in fact, when he was working for and eventually in ownership of a newspaper, he did fairly well for himself. His self-published books of poems and his novels were also something of a boon financially. But after some shifty business with his bank account and improper protections for his financial accounts, the family was left destitute.
In recent years, a better understanding of Whitman's sexuality indicates that he struggled to deal with pent-up sexual desires. I don't particularly care about the man's personal life, and I don't think it really matters. However, Whitman's life may have been a lot easier with the backing of a homosexual rights advocacy group such as the Human Rights Campaign. With a little support, no doubt Whitman's life would have been easier.
As I touched on earlier, Whitman was mostly self-published, especially his magnum opus Leaves of Grass. I'm not saying Whitman's choice to publish his own poems was a bad one . . . in fact it seems to have been the only way his monumental work could have been published during the Victorian times in which he wrote. But surely if Whitman had the ability to, self-publishing via an eBook service could have made him a much wealthier man. Imagine if Leaves of Grass could have been published by a service such as Lulu or any of the other print-on-demand services. And certainly he would have had a much larger audience, and maybe it could have led to more mass-market attention.
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Thursday, January 17, 2013
What Modern Poets Would Walt Whitman Love?
Though Walt Whitman is hands-down my favorite poet, he's not the only writer I admire. When people find out that I'm a Whitman fan, they sometimes assume that I must only like 19th century literature or old-fashioned verse. The truth is, I'm a big-time fan of poetry of all types, a regular subscriber to several poetry journals and magazines, and I'm just as well-read in terms of contemporary poets as I am about writers of the 1800s, maybe even more so.
I thought a post speculating on which of today's poets Whitman would admire would make a nice addition to my little space on the Internet. You may disagree with me - if you do, please leave a comment and we'll get a nice discussion going. But in my opinion, Walt Whitman would be quite fond of these four contemporary poets.
1. Sylvia Plath
Love her or hate her, you have to admit the great influence Plath's poems have had over the past few decades. I think Whitman would be impressed with Plath's ability to conceptualize and describe physical features as though they were living things. Her ability to use all of her senses in her poems is another feature that Whitman would no doubt find thrilling.
2. Derek Walcott
Whitman's writing is almost constantly concerned with politics. He was a staunch anti-slavery advocate, a writer who regularly incorporated his own political opinions into his verse. That's why I think the post-colonialism of Derek Walcott's poems and plays would impress him to no end.
3. Ilya Kaminsky
Kaminsky is a young, up-and-coming critic, poet, essayist, and performer from Russia who writes mainly in English these days. The fact that Kaminsky is deaf would no-doubt fascinate Whitman, who was surrounded by the damaged, wounded, sick, and lame. I love Kaminsky's poetry, especially when Kaminsky recites his own poems, and I can easily imagine Walt cheering along with me.
4. Jamey Dunham
Another writer on the younger side, Jamey Dunham is not exactly a well-known name outside of the very small world of contemporary poetry, especially prose-poetry. Whitman's own tendency to scribble in prose convinces me that the modern prose-poetry movement would have fascinated him, and in my opinion, Dunham is one of the great young prose poets of our time.
I thought a post speculating on which of today's poets Whitman would admire would make a nice addition to my little space on the Internet. You may disagree with me - if you do, please leave a comment and we'll get a nice discussion going. But in my opinion, Walt Whitman would be quite fond of these four contemporary poets.
1. Sylvia Plath
Love her or hate her, you have to admit the great influence Plath's poems have had over the past few decades. I think Whitman would be impressed with Plath's ability to conceptualize and describe physical features as though they were living things. Her ability to use all of her senses in her poems is another feature that Whitman would no doubt find thrilling.
2. Derek Walcott
Whitman's writing is almost constantly concerned with politics. He was a staunch anti-slavery advocate, a writer who regularly incorporated his own political opinions into his verse. That's why I think the post-colonialism of Derek Walcott's poems and plays would impress him to no end.
3. Ilya Kaminsky
Kaminsky is a young, up-and-coming critic, poet, essayist, and performer from Russia who writes mainly in English these days. The fact that Kaminsky is deaf would no-doubt fascinate Whitman, who was surrounded by the damaged, wounded, sick, and lame. I love Kaminsky's poetry, especially when Kaminsky recites his own poems, and I can easily imagine Walt cheering along with me.
4. Jamey Dunham
Another writer on the younger side, Jamey Dunham is not exactly a well-known name outside of the very small world of contemporary poetry, especially prose-poetry. Whitman's own tendency to scribble in prose convinces me that the modern prose-poetry movement would have fascinated him, and in my opinion, Dunham is one of the great young prose poets of our time.
Monday, January 14, 2013
My Walt Whitman Vacation
On my last birthday, my wife surprised me with a vacation. Without telling me, and without any indication that she was doing so, she'd quietly pieced together a ten-day trek through America that would allow us to hit all the Walt Whitman hot spots. It is not only the greatest birthday present I've ever received, it is by far the best vacation I've ever taken in my life.
I'd like to share a little bit about the three most memorable spots we visited. If you are a Walt Whitman fan, a visit to any of these landmarks will be a true thrill.
1. The Walt Whitman House in Camden, New Jersey
Whitman's final residence - and the place where he actually died - was his brother's home in Camden, New Jersey. Whitman was forced to move there near the end of his life after he suffered a paralyzing stroke and could no longer care for himself. Today, the Walt Whitman House is open to the public as a museum. Walking through the home, I could almost feel his presence . . .
2. Kings Park State Hospital
When Whitman was alive, this facility was known as the Kings County Lunatic Asylum. Though this spot was not on the original itinerary, I decided we just had to stop and see it. My wife objected at first, on the grounds that it was "creepy," but I feel like the Kings County Lunatic Asylum was probably a major source of inspiration for Whitman in the later part of his career. He had his brother committed to the Asylum and would often visit for long periods of time.
3. The "Walt Whitman & His Invincible City" Tour
Though I'm not sure if this tour is still available or not, this was probably the high point of my amazing Walt Whitman vacation. A tour of Camden, New Jersey - specifically, the spots in Camden that were a big part of Whitman's life and career - that culminates in a stop at Whitman's massive tomb (which he designed himself at great expense), there's simply no substitute for this experience if you're a Whitman fan. The best part of all was the surprise appearance of Walt Whitman impersonator and scholar Darrel Blaine Ford, who wears period dress and reads Whitman's poems as though he were the man himself. The experience still gives me chills.
I'd like to share a little bit about the three most memorable spots we visited. If you are a Walt Whitman fan, a visit to any of these landmarks will be a true thrill.
1. The Walt Whitman House in Camden, New Jersey
Whitman's final residence - and the place where he actually died - was his brother's home in Camden, New Jersey. Whitman was forced to move there near the end of his life after he suffered a paralyzing stroke and could no longer care for himself. Today, the Walt Whitman House is open to the public as a museum. Walking through the home, I could almost feel his presence . . .
2. Kings Park State Hospital
When Whitman was alive, this facility was known as the Kings County Lunatic Asylum. Though this spot was not on the original itinerary, I decided we just had to stop and see it. My wife objected at first, on the grounds that it was "creepy," but I feel like the Kings County Lunatic Asylum was probably a major source of inspiration for Whitman in the later part of his career. He had his brother committed to the Asylum and would often visit for long periods of time.
3. The "Walt Whitman & His Invincible City" Tour
Though I'm not sure if this tour is still available or not, this was probably the high point of my amazing Walt Whitman vacation. A tour of Camden, New Jersey - specifically, the spots in Camden that were a big part of Whitman's life and career - that culminates in a stop at Whitman's massive tomb (which he designed himself at great expense), there's simply no substitute for this experience if you're a Whitman fan. The best part of all was the surprise appearance of Walt Whitman impersonator and scholar Darrel Blaine Ford, who wears period dress and reads Whitman's poems as though he were the man himself. The experience still gives me chills.
Sunday, January 13, 2013
Whitman in Love
Much controversy has been made of Whitman's sexuality over the years. No doubt, this is because of his tendency to praise beauty in all its forms, be it a male or female body. While there's no evidence pointing any direction, scholars have long wondered about exactly what sort of love life Walt Whitman had.
Personally, I couldn't care less about what Walt did or didn't do in the privacy of his bedroom. I'm an equal-rights kind of guy, and I have no opinion whatsoever about another person's sexuality. But when I mention Walt Whitman to some people, they automatically want to point out that he was "the first gay poet" or something along those lines.
The truth is, we know very little about Whitman's love life. He never married, and the fact that he received several visits from Oscar Wilde is usually the "nudge-nudge wink-wink" used by biographers, lecturers, and critics to declare him a homosexual.
I wanted to get this blog post out to make it clear that I have no interest in the private life of Whitman. Instead of focusing on what we can never know, shouldn't we instead celebrate the amazing poetry he created? I think the answer to that question is a simple "Yes."
Personally, I couldn't care less about what Walt did or didn't do in the privacy of his bedroom. I'm an equal-rights kind of guy, and I have no opinion whatsoever about another person's sexuality. But when I mention Walt Whitman to some people, they automatically want to point out that he was "the first gay poet" or something along those lines.
The truth is, we know very little about Whitman's love life. He never married, and the fact that he received several visits from Oscar Wilde is usually the "nudge-nudge wink-wink" used by biographers, lecturers, and critics to declare him a homosexual.
I wanted to get this blog post out to make it clear that I have no interest in the private life of Whitman. Instead of focusing on what we can never know, shouldn't we instead celebrate the amazing poetry he created? I think the answer to that question is a simple "Yes."
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Four Amazing Facts about Walt Whitman
The greatest American poet in history had a strange and wonderful life. When I talk to people about my love of Walt Whitman, I usually take the opportunity to share a few interesting facts about his life. I'm not sure why - maybe I think people will be interested and research Whitman on their own.
Here are my four favorite interesting tidbits about the life and times of my all-time favorite writer.
1. Walt Whitman Had EIGHT Brothers and Sisters
Whitman was the next-to-youngest of nine children. These days the average American family consists of just three people, but including his mother and father (and two sets of grandparents that lived with them), there were fifteen people living in Whitman's tiny childhood home, until he left at the age of 16 to pursue a career as a teacher and journalist.
2. Whitman Once Founded His Own Newspaper
Disappointed with the work he was being given as a writer for the Evening Star, Whitman decided he could print and publish his own newspaper. Called The Weekly Freeman, Whitman's paper appeared once a week for a few months before the offices burned down. Using insurance money from the fire, Whitman was able to turn the paper into a daily, until he grew tired of the news business and ended the venture after just a year in print.
3. Take Heart, Young Poets - Whitman Was Self-Published
In 1855, just a few years after The Weekly Freeman closed shop for good, Whitman published the first edition of Leaves of Grass which would eventually become his masterpiece. The first copy, which he printed and sold on his own, contained just twelve poems. The self-published manuscript garnered the attention of Ralph Waldo Emerson, who wrote Whitman a letter which famous began with the words: "I greet you at the beginning of a great career . . ."
4. Whitman Was Fired from a Government Job for Writing "Obscene Poetry"
Walt briefly worked for the Department of Internal Affairs, until his supervisor caught him lazily scribbling poems. The supervisor wasn't necessarily angry about Whitman wasting time - and we don't know exactly what the poems were like - but what got him fired was the supposedly "obscene content." I'd love to know what counted as obscene in the late 19th century . . .
Here are my four favorite interesting tidbits about the life and times of my all-time favorite writer.
1. Walt Whitman Had EIGHT Brothers and Sisters
Whitman was the next-to-youngest of nine children. These days the average American family consists of just three people, but including his mother and father (and two sets of grandparents that lived with them), there were fifteen people living in Whitman's tiny childhood home, until he left at the age of 16 to pursue a career as a teacher and journalist.
2. Whitman Once Founded His Own Newspaper
Disappointed with the work he was being given as a writer for the Evening Star, Whitman decided he could print and publish his own newspaper. Called The Weekly Freeman, Whitman's paper appeared once a week for a few months before the offices burned down. Using insurance money from the fire, Whitman was able to turn the paper into a daily, until he grew tired of the news business and ended the venture after just a year in print.
3. Take Heart, Young Poets - Whitman Was Self-Published
In 1855, just a few years after The Weekly Freeman closed shop for good, Whitman published the first edition of Leaves of Grass which would eventually become his masterpiece. The first copy, which he printed and sold on his own, contained just twelve poems. The self-published manuscript garnered the attention of Ralph Waldo Emerson, who wrote Whitman a letter which famous began with the words: "I greet you at the beginning of a great career . . ."
4. Whitman Was Fired from a Government Job for Writing "Obscene Poetry"
Walt briefly worked for the Department of Internal Affairs, until his supervisor caught him lazily scribbling poems. The supervisor wasn't necessarily angry about Whitman wasting time - and we don't know exactly what the poems were like - but what got him fired was the supposedly "obscene content." I'd love to know what counted as obscene in the late 19th century . . .
Monday, January 7, 2013
My Favorite Whitman Verses
The length of my last post is probably a little off-putting to some people, so I thought I'd pop in and share a quick burst of creative energy. I've been trying to whittle down my love of Whitman's poetry to just two sets of lines all day, and I think I've finally nailed it. My original plan was to write a post called "My Favorite Whitman Verse," but there's just no way I can pick only one.
My first selection would have to be the beginning of Whitman's poem Mannahatta, an ode to New York City that's as close to my heart as anything the man ever wrote.
"I was asking for something specific and perfect for my city,
Whereupon lo! upsprang the aboriginal name.
Now I see what there is in a name, a word, liquid, sane,
unruly, musical, self-sufficient,
I see that the word of my city is that word from of old,
Because I see that word nested in nests of water-bays,
superb,
Rich, hemm'd thick all around with sailships and
steamships, an island sixteen miles long, solid-founded,
Numberless crowded streets, high growths of iron, slender,
strong, light, splendidly uprising toward clear skies . . ."
Since I've forced myself to narrow down this list to just two of my favorite bits of Whitman's verse, I've decided that I simply can't ignore "O Captain! My Captain!", a poem made famous in recent years by the film Dead Poet's Society, and the greatest ode ever written for Abraham Lincoln.
"O Captain! my Captain! our fearful trip is done, The ship has weather'd every rack,
the prize we sought is won, The port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting,
While follow eyes the steady keel, the vessel grim and daring; But O heart! heart! heart!
O the bleeding drops of red, Where on the deck my Captain lies, Fallen cold and dead.
O Captain! my Captain! rise up and hear the bells; Rise up- for you the flag is flung- for
you the bugle trills . . ."
My first selection would have to be the beginning of Whitman's poem Mannahatta, an ode to New York City that's as close to my heart as anything the man ever wrote.
"I was asking for something specific and perfect for my city,
Whereupon lo! upsprang the aboriginal name.
Now I see what there is in a name, a word, liquid, sane,
unruly, musical, self-sufficient,
I see that the word of my city is that word from of old,
Because I see that word nested in nests of water-bays,
superb,
Rich, hemm'd thick all around with sailships and
steamships, an island sixteen miles long, solid-founded,
Numberless crowded streets, high growths of iron, slender,
strong, light, splendidly uprising toward clear skies . . ."
Since I've forced myself to narrow down this list to just two of my favorite bits of Whitman's verse, I've decided that I simply can't ignore "O Captain! My Captain!", a poem made famous in recent years by the film Dead Poet's Society, and the greatest ode ever written for Abraham Lincoln.
"O Captain! my Captain! our fearful trip is done, The ship has weather'd every rack,
the prize we sought is won, The port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting,
While follow eyes the steady keel, the vessel grim and daring; But O heart! heart! heart!
O the bleeding drops of red, Where on the deck my Captain lies, Fallen cold and dead.
O Captain! my Captain! rise up and hear the bells; Rise up- for you the flag is flung- for
you the bugle trills . . ."
Sunday, January 6, 2013
Pairing Whitman Poems with Texas Beers
Since two of my great passions in life are Walt Whitman and beers from Texas, it seems like a natural thing to try to pair my favorite Lone Star brews with bits of verse by my favorite poet. Yes, pairing beer with food is a more traditional thing to do, but I'm not much of a chef.
Here are my five favorite beers from Texas, along with a little bit of Walt Whitman's poetry that encapsulates some part of the essence of that beer.
1. Hops & Grain, New Zealand IPA
This is an extremely rare and marvelously flavorful single-hop IPA from a small craft brewer in Austin. I am lucky enough to have a dozen of these delicious beers in storage, and I plan to open them only for very special occasions. No, you probably won't be able to get your hands on this beer, unless you live in Austin or have a connection that lives there, but I think the following lines from Whitman perfectly replicate the experience of drinking this beauty.
"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 it must be the flag of my disposition, out of hopeful
green stuff woven.
Or I guess it is the handkerchief of the Lord,
A scented gift and remembrancer designedly dropped,
Bearing the owner's name someway in the corners, that we
may see and remark, and say Whose?
Or I guess the grass is itself a child. . . .the produced babe
of the vegetation.
And now it seems to me the beautiful uncut hair of graves."
2. Ranger Creek Brewing, Mesquite Smoked Porter
Smoked beer is not a new phenomenon - the Germans have enjoyed their rauchbier for centuries. But it is a new thing for Texas beers, and Ranger Creek's Mesquite Smoked Porter is the best example of this rare and mysterious variety produced by any craft brewery in Texas.
"This is thy hour O Soul, thy free flight into the wordless,
Away from books, away from art, the day erased, the lesson
done,
Thee fully forth emerging, silent, gazing, pondering the
themes thou lovest best,
Night, sleep, death and the stars."
3. Independence Brewing Company, Independence Pale Ale
This is an easy beer to come by if you live in Texas, but can be downright impossible to find even one state away. The Independence Pale Ale is a nod to the independent spirit of my home state, and this highly-drinkable pale beer is one of my go-to beers, matching well with just about any food.
"Centre of equal daughters, equal sons,
All, all alike endear'd, grown, ungrown, young or old,
Strong, ample, fair, enduring, capable, rich,
Perennial with the Earth, with Freedom, Law and Love,
A grand, sane, towering, seated Mother,
Chair'd in the adamant of Time."
4. Southern Star Brewing Company, Walloon
Walloon is a Grisette-style beer, a version of everyone's favorite alcoholic drink originally invented to cure the thirsts of 19th century European miners who were looking for a pleasant, light, drinkable, less-hoppy beverage. Walloon is the perfect hot-weather drink, which is good because it's only available in the summer. I happen to be down to my last single bottle of Walloon, and I'm holding onto it until temperatures get a bit warmer.
"Then my realities;
What else is so real as mine?
Libertad and the divine average, freedom to every slave on the face of the earth,
The rapt promises and luminé of seers, the spiritual world, these centuries-lasting songs,
And our visions, the visions of poets, the most solid announcements of any."
5. Spoetzl Brewery, Shiner Bock
A rarity for me - this is a mass-produced Texas beer available all over the world that I actually really like. Shiner Bock is to Texas what Champagne is to Epernay. It's easy for me to get, so I've always got a little supply of this highly-drinkable and slightly bitter beauty on hand.
"I see the ships, (they will last a few years,)
The vast factories with their foremen and workmen,
And hear the indorsement of all, and do not object to it."
Here are my five favorite beers from Texas, along with a little bit of Walt Whitman's poetry that encapsulates some part of the essence of that beer.
1. Hops & Grain, New Zealand IPA
This is an extremely rare and marvelously flavorful single-hop IPA from a small craft brewer in Austin. I am lucky enough to have a dozen of these delicious beers in storage, and I plan to open them only for very special occasions. No, you probably won't be able to get your hands on this beer, unless you live in Austin or have a connection that lives there, but I think the following lines from Whitman perfectly replicate the experience of drinking this beauty.
"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 it must be the flag of my disposition, out of hopeful
green stuff woven.
Or I guess it is the handkerchief of the Lord,
A scented gift and remembrancer designedly dropped,
Bearing the owner's name someway in the corners, that we
may see and remark, and say Whose?
Or I guess the grass is itself a child. . . .the produced babe
of the vegetation.
And now it seems to me the beautiful uncut hair of graves."
2. Ranger Creek Brewing, Mesquite Smoked Porter
Smoked beer is not a new phenomenon - the Germans have enjoyed their rauchbier for centuries. But it is a new thing for Texas beers, and Ranger Creek's Mesquite Smoked Porter is the best example of this rare and mysterious variety produced by any craft brewery in Texas.
"This is thy hour O Soul, thy free flight into the wordless,
Away from books, away from art, the day erased, the lesson
done,
Thee fully forth emerging, silent, gazing, pondering the
themes thou lovest best,
Night, sleep, death and the stars."
3. Independence Brewing Company, Independence Pale Ale
This is an easy beer to come by if you live in Texas, but can be downright impossible to find even one state away. The Independence Pale Ale is a nod to the independent spirit of my home state, and this highly-drinkable pale beer is one of my go-to beers, matching well with just about any food.
"Centre of equal daughters, equal sons,
All, all alike endear'd, grown, ungrown, young or old,
Strong, ample, fair, enduring, capable, rich,
Perennial with the Earth, with Freedom, Law and Love,
A grand, sane, towering, seated Mother,
Chair'd in the adamant of Time."
4. Southern Star Brewing Company, Walloon
Walloon is a Grisette-style beer, a version of everyone's favorite alcoholic drink originally invented to cure the thirsts of 19th century European miners who were looking for a pleasant, light, drinkable, less-hoppy beverage. Walloon is the perfect hot-weather drink, which is good because it's only available in the summer. I happen to be down to my last single bottle of Walloon, and I'm holding onto it until temperatures get a bit warmer.
"Then my realities;
What else is so real as mine?
Libertad and the divine average, freedom to every slave on the face of the earth,
The rapt promises and luminé of seers, the spiritual world, these centuries-lasting songs,
And our visions, the visions of poets, the most solid announcements of any."
5. Spoetzl Brewery, Shiner Bock
A rarity for me - this is a mass-produced Texas beer available all over the world that I actually really like. Shiner Bock is to Texas what Champagne is to Epernay. It's easy for me to get, so I've always got a little supply of this highly-drinkable and slightly bitter beauty on hand.
"I see the ships, (they will last a few years,)
The vast factories with their foremen and workmen,
And hear the indorsement of all, and do not object to it."
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