chloenmagruder
Chloe Magruder's Listicle for Romanticism
Walt Whitman, to this day, is one of the greatest American poets to sit and enjoy on a warm summer's day. But what if he was your boyfriend? Walt Whitman would bring out the unconventional side of you, he would tell you to come out of your shell and try something new, and he would always make you feel good about yourself, no matter how bad you smell. He would also encourage you to become closer to God through nature and the universe.
No matter how you feel about the insecurities of your body, Whitman would love every thing about you. He appreciates the way that bodies function and appreciates the small things that you do not care to notice. In his third chapter of "Song of Myself," Whitman says, "Welcome is every organ and attribute of me, and of any man hearty and clean, / Not an inch nor a particle of an inch is vile, and none shall be less familiar than the rest." All of the chores of daily life including: showering every day, brushing your hair in the morning, brushing your teeth, etc. are all acceptable to not do when you date Whitman. He does not believe that your natural body is gross and he will want to explore every inch of your body.
Throughout "Songs of Myself," you will notice that Whitman is experienced in many areas. In section 10, he describes his camping experience, making a fire and cooking the game he killed earlier. Not only is he skilled, but he would probably be happy to teach you how to become a great hunter and camper as well. Later in section 16, he goes on to say "Of every hue and caste am I, of every rank and religion, / A farmer, mechanic, artist, gentleman, sailor, quaker, / Prisoner, fancy-man, rowdy, lawyer, physician, priest." Obviously, one man cannot be all of these things, but it's the fact that he could be all of these things that is encouraging. He works really hard to be one with the people, he puts himself on everyone's level, and that is important in a boyfriend because he will be able to get on your level and not make you feel like you are lesser than him.
In section 21, Whitman tells us "I am the poet of the woman the same as the man, / And I say it is as great to be a woman as to be a man." Now, if your little feminist heart doesn't jump at that, then what will? This was written before the suffragette movement...Whitman was way ahead of his time and it is comforting to know that there were men who were fighting for the rights of women before a lot changed. Reading Whitman, you will notice that he uses female and male pronouns, making what he writes a lot more relatable. He understands the importance of these pronouns and the influence they have on women.
Whitman is not one to shy away from confrontation. If someone came up to you and called you fat, he would take the insult to himself so that you would not feel alone and upset. In section 24, he states that "Whoever degrades another degrades me, / And whatever is done or said returns at last to me." Not many people would stick up for someone like that in today's world. Many would judge him, but that doesn't stop Whitman. He will stick up for you and he will not let you take all of the hate.
Something that you will notice when reading Whitman is that he loves sounds. He lived in the city, so sound is something that was always around him. But one thing that he talks about is that "I hear the sound I love, the sound of the human voice." If you are having a bad day or just want to talk, he will listen and enjoy just listening to you. Not only that, but he would probably encourage you to slow down and listen to the nature around you and the sounds that nature provides.
As we know from reading "Song of Myself," Whitman is very wordy and goes on and on about the things that he cares about. Some of these things he talks about over and over again are the regions around America. Some of the places he describes seem like magic with the words he uses, like "Approaching Manhattan up by the long-stretching island, / Under Niagara, the cataract falling like a veil over my countenance." Can you imagine going on a road trip with him and just listen to the way that he describes the lands and the people and everything around you? It would be like a walking-talking travel magazine sitting in the seat next to you. His love for his country is portrayed in his work of art and it would be amazing to experience it in real life.
One of the best lines in "Song of Myself" describe what it would be like to date Walt Whitman and be around him all of the time. "Now I wash the gum from your eyes, / You must habit yourself to the dazzle of the light and of every moment of your life." He would encourage you all of the time to live your best life, regardless of what is happening. He would physically wash your eyes to make sure that you are seeing everything in this world: nature, God, life, etc. He is someone that would lead you around to show you all of the incredible things and people that live in our country.
