Gail, I am so glad you started this thread. Whitman is one of the world's greatest masters of poetry. His work is very powerful, sensitive and often mystical.
In my view, anyone who claims to love poetry and yet sneers at Whitman, for whatever reason, is merely advertising their lack of soul.
This is part of a much longer poem, which I would encourage readers to seek out and read in full.
BANNED POSTFrom "The Sleepers", by Walt Whitman, part 8
The sleepers are very beautiful as they lie unclothed,
They flow hand in hand over the whole earth from east to
BANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POST west as they lie unclothed,
The Asiatic and African are hand in hand, the European and
BANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POST American are hand in hand
Learn'd and unlearn'd are hand in hand, and male and
BANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POST female are hand in hand,
The bare arm of the girl crosses the bare breast of her lover,
BANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POST they press close without lust, his lips press her neck,
The father holds his grown or ungrown son in his arms with
BANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POST measureless love, and the son holds the father in his
BANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POST arms with measureless love,
The white hair of the mother shines on the white wrist of
BANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POST the daughter,
The breath of the boy goes with the breath of the man,
BANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POST friend is inarm'd by friend,
The scholar kisses the teacher and the teacher kisses the
BANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POST scholar, the wrong'd is made right,
The call of the slave is one with the master's call, and the
BANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POST master salutes the slave,
The felon steps forth from the prison, the insane becomes
BANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POST sane, the suffering of sick persons is reliev'd,
The sweatings and fevers stop, the throat that was unsound
BANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POST is sound, the lungs of the consumptive are resumed, the
BANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POST poor distress'd head is free,
The joints of the rheumatic move as smoothly as ever, and
BANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POST smoother than ever,
Stiflings and passages open, the paralyzed become supple,
The swell'd and convuls'd and congested awake to
BANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POST themselves in condition,
They pass the invigoration of the night and the chemistry of
BANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POST the night, and awake.
I too pass from the night,
I stay a while away O night, but I return to you again and
BANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POST love you.
Why should I be afraid to trust myself to you?
I am not afraid, I have been well brought forward by you,
I love the rich running day, but I do not desert her in
BANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POST whom I lay so long,
I know not how I came of you and I know not where I go
BANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POSTBANNED POST with you, but I know I came well and shall go well.
I will stop only a time with the night, and rise betimes,
I will duly pass the day O my mother, and duly return to you.
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