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Close Reading: Walt Whitman's Song Of Myself

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Close Reading: Walt Whitman's Song Of Myself
Kira Swearingen
Ms. Petronella
English 1320
21 February 2015
Close Reading- Song of Myself by Walt Whitman In Walt Whitman’s poem, Song of Myself, I found different key pieces of Whitman’s diction and language to be more in depth and not so cut, black and white. This poem really makes you think by giving you different perspectives of life to wonder about through the use of his words. I have gotten the impression that Whitman really values himself and his beliefs of a good world and being alive in the present is worthwhile to him. His words are very powerful, thoughtful and even strong enough to change somebodies view of how they see the world. Whitman includes inspirational, yet erotic views of how he feels for his soul and the life around him. …show more content…
Whitman writes, “How you settled your head athwart my hips and gently turn’d over upon me, And parted the shirt from my bosom-bone, and plunged your tongue to my bare-stript heart, And reach’d till you felt my beard, and reach’d till you held my feet”. Whitman is describing lying in the grass together on a “transparent” or clear and beautiful summer morning. He is becoming in touch with himself and his soul that is moving around his body in a pleasant and warming way. His beautiful souls starts feeling his way around him wanting to give his body this biggest kiss to himself ever imaginable. His soul goes to his waist and his hips and then simply and gracefully moves around to his tailbone, then goes up to his heart finishing this soulful kiss that arises
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