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A summary of “Song of the Open Road” in Walt Whitman's Whitman’s Poetry. Learn exactly what happened in this chapter, scene, or section of Whitman’s Poetry and what it means. Perfect for acing essays, tests, and quizzes, as well as for writing lesson plans.
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- Afoot and light-hearted I take to the open road, Healthy, free, the world before me, The long brown path before me leading wherever I choose. Henceforth I ask not good-fortune, I myself am good-fortune,
- You road I enter upon and look around, I believe you are not all that is here, I believe that much unseen is also here. Here the profound lesson of reception, nor preference nor denial,
- You air that serves me with breath to speak! You objects that call from diffusion my meanings and give them shape! You light that wraps me and all things in delicate equable showers!
- The earth expanding right hand and left hand, The picture alive, every part in its best light, The music falling in where it is wanted, and stopping where it is not wanted,
- Introduction
- Stanza 1
- Stanza 2
- Stanza 3
- Stanza 4
Written by the American poet Walt Whitman, this poem was published in the 1855 volume called “Leaves of Grass”. This poem talks about the road of life on which each person undertakes a long journey. Through his poem, the poet tells how he himself walks on this ‘open road’.
The poet begins his journey with a light heart. To him, the road seems free and full of possibilities. He is free to make the choice of his path and destination. The destination is not fixed and this makes the road more liberating. He announces his choice as he declares that the road leads to wherever I choose. The speaker in the poem is thus a lig...
In these lines, the speaker declares that he does not believe in destiny and therefore does not ask for good-fortune, He is determined to make his own destiny as he says “I myself am good-fortune”. Because he has complete faith in himself, he declares that “I whimper no more, postpone no more, need nothing”. He intends to tell his readers that they...
These lines emphasize the value of contentment or self-satisfaction. No man should invest his hopes in Fate. Instead of hoping for the stars of the constellations, man should contend himself with what the Earth offers him as he says, “The earth, that is sufficient”. Whitman’s speaker believes that contentment is the key to make one’s journey on the...
The final lines of this section are enclosed in brackets. In these lines, the speaker admits that even he himself is not altogether free from life’s burdens. He says“ I carry my old delicious burdens”, referring to the grief and loss the speaker has experienced. He admits that though he is advising others to make their journeys without any feelings...
‘Song of the Open Road’ celebrates freedom & self-discovery on a journey of independence, embracing life's path with optimism.
- Male
- Poetry Analyst
Summary: Song of the Open Road launches the vagabond poet on his journey. The poet jogs along observing what life has to offer first hand.
Aug 1, 2020 · The poem ‘Song of the Open Road’ is written in free verse. It is written in monologue form. The poet expresses his views on the journey of life taken on different roads. The unrhymed and varying length of lines suggest the complexities and the ups and downs one faces in life.
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" Song of the Open Road " is a poem by Walt Whitman from his 1856 collection Leaves of Grass. It has 15 sections, each with 3-4 stanzas . Synopsis. The poem can be split in two parts, Sections 1-8 and Sections 9-15. Key Concepts.
