Do you see O my brothers and sisters?
It is not chaos or death . . . . it is form and union and plan . . . . it is eternal life . . . .  
     it is happiness.

—from Walt Whitman’s “Song of Myself”

Perhaps more than any other work of art, Walt Whitman’s “Song of Myself” created a distinctly American voice as the country’s epic poem. First published in 1855 as the United States tumbled toward civil war, the poem is Whitman’s response to healing the nation’s fractured spirit. Its vision of radical inclusivity speaks as much to our time as to his own. 

We will use Whitman’s final (so-called “Death-bed”) edition of “Song of Myself,” which is conveniently divided into fifty-two sections, while fluidly referencing earlier versions of the poem and other writings, including his earliest short stories, the self-help manual “Manly Health and Training,” and his Civil War correspondence. Participants are invited to contribute questions, insights, and interpretations to create a learning experience as welcoming, inclusive, and empowering as Whitman himself challenges us to create.

Class meets from 2:30–3:45 p.m. on Thursdays: May 15, 22, and 29.

Session 1: “I celebrate myself”
Sections 1–14
In robust language that still raises eyebrows, the poet greets us “undisguised and naked.” But who is “I,” and what is so compellingly new about this voice? We’ll explore many of the poem’s most famous passages on our first day, including the slippery “28 Swimmers” section (#11).

Session 2: “Afoot with my vision”
Sections 15–33
Whitman comes to his senses in these sections—whether through touch (“quivering me to a new identity,” #28), sound (“the trained soprano … convulses me like the climax of my love-grip,” #26), or vision (with “eyes full of sparkling wickedness,” #32). “Mine is no callous shell,” he announces in section #27. “I have instant conductors all over me.” We’ll consider what his sensual openness meant for Victorian America and how it contributed to his recognition as one of the nation’s earliest LGBT+ icons.

Session 3: “I stop somewhere waiting for you”
Sections 34–52
“Song of Myself” begins with “I” and ends with “you.” Whitman’s direct address to “you” has ensured that his “listener[s] up there” continue to connect and even respond to his questions and imperatives. In our final discussion, we’ll reflect on our place within Whitman’s great American epic and consider the voices that answer him, including Allen Ginsberg, Bob Dylan, Taylor Mac, and Patti Smith.

Students are encouraged to read “Song of Myself” from the Walt Whitman archive, or purchase the 1892 edition of Leaves of Grass. 

This live, virtual class is structured to encourage active participation. Registrants will receive a Zoom link one week prior to each session, one day prior to each session, and the morning of the session. Recordings will be made available within forty-eight hours and will remain available for thirty days.

Scholarship applications must be submitted by Monday, April 21, at 5 p.m. ET. 

For information on how to register, how to receive the member discount, how to apply for a scholarship, how to access recordings and course materials, and more, please visit our FAQ page.