Whitman and Wandering

Adventure Time

Adventure presents opportunity and independence. It allows the wanderer time and space to reflect on the essence of our existence and the metaphysical truths that accompany life. Much akin to the benefits that supplement adventure, trekking or wandering, in particular, are the benefits of reading Walt Whitman’s poems. In the wild, unpredictable changes happen constantly, much like in many of Whitman’s poems. Particularly in his masterpiece “Song of Myself,” changes are rapid and abrupt. One can discover his or her true identity in the wild. It is a place of sanctuary and knowledge, much like the introspective nature of Walt Whitman’s work. Moreover, the meandering nature of Whitman’s poems rekindle the idea that, as J.R.R. Tolkien said, “Not all who wander are lost.” Adventure and wanderlust affiliate to Whitman’s style and method of poetry.

The wilderness holds many surprises. Sometimes pleasant changes wait around the bend in the trail. However, many unpleasant deviations may be anticipating the weary traveller. Much like the unpredictable nature of the wild, Whitman alters his approach as abruptly as a snake may bite. In Whitman’s extensive poem “Song of Myself,” he shifts ideology and emphasis before the reader realizes the change. Particularly going from cantos six to seven, Whitman drastically alters his topic. First, in canto six, he writes, “…What is grass?...I do not know what it is any more than he.” In the next canto, he then writes, “…I hasten to inform him or her it is just as lucky to die, and I know it.” He changes from musing about grass with a child to proclaiming that dying is equally lucky as being born. As the hiker never knows what is around the bend, the reader of Whitman never knows what will be said next. However, the wilderness and Whitman’s poems alike offer the opportunity for becoming self-aware.

Self-identity can be found in the wild. As all transcendentalists would attest to, the wilderness is where the soul can be found. Where the body and mind transcends to meet the soul is found in the solitary wood. The lessons that can be learned from the woods about oneself are abundant and invaluable. Much like the woods, Whitman’s introspective and inquisitive style of poetry makes for the same opportunity for self-reflection. One line from Canto 3 of “Song of Myself” epitomizes the deep nature of his poems: “Clear and sweet is my soul, and clear and sweet is all that is not my soul. Lacks one lacks both, and the unseen is provided by the seen.” The provocative nature of his lines in general force the reader to reflect on the truths of life and what the meaning of it is. As self-identity is evident in the wild, it is in Whitman’s work. Becoming one with the self is a vital part of one’s self identity and is also more easily achieved in the wild.

Perhaps the most vital component of adventure is the sense of oneness one achieves with the wilderness. A self-contained experience in the outdoors leads to a closer connection with oneself and the woods. The essence of adventure is to find one’s soul and acquire a new perspective. As Henry Miller wrote, “One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things” (Big Sur and the Oranges of Hieronymus Bosch). One leaves for adventure hoping to become closer to him or her and aspiring to return with a new perception on life. The reasons one travels are the same as the reasons Walt Whitman wrote “Song of Myself” and the same as why its popularity has not waned over the decades. The first lines of the masterpiece express its goals perfectly: “I celebrate myself, and sing myself, and what I assume you shall assume, For every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you.” He implies that he is the same as the reader and the purpose of the poem is to show the reader what to assume and what to take away from the poem. Much like the experience adventure brings, so does reading his poems.

Reading Whitman’s poems is an adventure of the mind. He takes his reader into unseen corners of his or her own mind, and prompts inner speculation on life and self-identity. The experiences available on a wilderness adventure prompt the same thoughts. In this way, Whitman and adventure are similar.