I Hear America Singing by Walt Whitman 1860

Just as the US was on the brink of its Civil War, the poet Walt Whitman wrote his short poem "I Hear America Singing".  Some say he wrote it on the 3rd of July 1860 as he listened to the streets and open windows of his neighborhood in my hometown of Brooklyn NY.  He was 39 years old, unemployed and living in a basement apartment with his mother and two sisters when he wrote this poem.

He also spent some time that summer in Boston working on the first edition of "Leaves of Grass"- an iconic collection of his poetry.   

Walt worked on "Leaves of Grass" right up to his "Deathbed Edition" which was the version of Leaves that he wanted to be his legacy.   Yes, Mr. Whitman, by the end of his life in 1892, he was sure of his talents.  May we all be so insightful, eh?

Anyhow, this is a powerful tribute to human work, done with high intent and purpose as the connective tissue of the great social-economic compact that we all participate in, however varied nation by nation it might be.

Thanks and next episode will drop on Monday 7/7/25........Maybe we'll go to Germany for that one.....