[Michael F]

Sam,

There is something redolent of Hegel in the air, but I’d submit that rather than resolving in a new thesis of the intellect, Walt’s resolution, like the Upanishads, is a movement of the emotions, with something of intuition. I think there is an intellectual reason to it, but it’s not explicitly argued; rather, he describes it lyrically, goes roundabout, and circles back to it innumerably, like a bee buzzing around the garden flowers. Not to be coy, but some things shouldn’t be said propositionally lest they lose all art.

Julie, I understood your point. Walt makes the same point, strongly, IMO.

But we digress. It might be fun at some point to have a thread on Whitman. Each time I read him I love him more and am more thunderstruck. Incomparable things said incomparably well…