Song of the Open Road
by Walt Whitman
Poem
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,
Henceforth I whimper no more, postpone no more, need nothing,
Done with indoor complaints, libraries, querulous criticisms,
Strong and content I travel the open road.
The earth, that is sufficient,
I do not want the constellations any nearer,
I know they are very well where they are,
I know they suffice for those who belong to them.
(Still here I carry my old delicious burdens,
I carry them, men and women, I carry them with me wherever I go,
I swear it is impossible for me to get rid of them,
I am fill’d with them, and I will fill them in return.)
Summary
The poem celebrates the poet’s journey on the open road. The road in this poem symbolizes the road of life. He shares his joy on this trip in this healthy and free world. Therefore, the poet has control over the journey because he is free to travel the brown route anywhere he wants.
The poet continues his earlier ideas by expressing that he does not depend on good fortune and considers himself to be the creator of his own fortune. He goes on to say that he will not cry or hesitate to accomplish anything without postponing it and that he asks nothing in return. He is no longer content to be bound within the four walls. He is strong enough to travel on the open road. and he has freed himself from various complaints and arguments from his previous life.
The poet attempts to separate himself from earthly pleasures and relationships in the following verses. Even though he has great belief in them and knows that they are very well and happy with them, he no longer enjoys socializing with friends and other people because he believes that the mother earth is now sufficient for him to travel.
The poem is a classic of American literature and is widely celebrated for its themes of freedom, the power of nature and self-discovery. The poem is a call to adventure, to break free from the conventions of society and to embrace the open road and all the experiences it has to offer. It is a reminder to live life to the fullest and to find joy in the journey.
The poem starts with the poet’s journey on an open road on foot. The road here means the path of life. He expresses his happiness at the prospect of embarking on the adventure in this healthy and free world. Additionally, the poet has control over the journey because he is free to travel any brown road he wants. Following that path, the poet continues his earlier thoughts by stating that he does not want good fortune and views himself as the creator of his own fortune. He continues by stating that he will not cry to act without postponing anything. He is strong enough to travel on the open road after resolving various concerns and quarrels in his previous life. The poet then attempts to liberate himself from earthly pleasures and relationships in the following lines. Even though he has a great deal of faith in them and is confident that they are doing well and pleased with them, he no longer enjoys engaging with friends and other people because he believes that mother earth is now sufficient for him to travel.
The poem is written in a powerful style that is simple to comprehend. There is no rhyme scheme or metre in this poem because it is written in free verse. It is divided into four stanzas. The lines and stanzas are not equal in length. The first stanza comprises only three lines, whereas the last two contain four.
In the final stanzas, the poet employs parenthesis to detach himself from worldly concerns. ‘Light-hearted’ and ‘querulous criticisms’ are intriguing terms. Notable images include constellations and earthy shade. Alliteration, Metaphor, Repetition, and Paradox are notable figures of speech.
Appreciation of the poem, "Song of the Open Road"
About the Poet :
Walt Whitman (1819 to 1892), Song of the Open Road is an inspiring and motivational poem written by an American poet Walt Whitman. Whitman is among the most influential poets in the American canon and is often called ‘The Father of Free Verse.’ He is mainly known for ‘Leaves of Grass’ was published in 1855. His ‘O Captain! My Captain!’, a poem written on the death of Abraham Lincoln, is widely popular.
About the Poem:
The poem ‘Song of the Open Road’ from ‘Leaves of Grass’, is a beautiful blend of self-awareness, free will, and tenderness of heart. The poem ‘The Song of the Open Road’ is about an optimistic and energetic attitude. The title itself signifies the optimistic approach of the poet towards life, his carefree nature and his great confidence. He argues against staying in one place for too long, although the hospitality may be true.
Theme :
The main theme of the poem is freedom; joy, the journey of life, and optimism. Here the title Open Road signifies freedom, here the road refers to mobility. The poet wants to lead a significant and free life away from any burden or restrictions he expects a burden-free life for him.
Language Poetic Device :
The artistic language used by Walt Whitman. The poem is easy to understand. In the poem, the poet, Walt Whitman used such poetic devices as a figure of speech are Repetition, Metaphor, Paradox, Inversion, etc. The poem has no rhyme scheme. It is a free verse poem meaning it has no rhyme scheme.
Special Features :
The poem is highly motivating for us , it is a free verse poem. It attracts readers to a new way of life that the poet himself wants to enjoy. We notice repetition in verses and transferred epithet.
Message :
The Poem, Song of the Open Road gives a message of self-reliance and its significance. It insists on a carefree life , burdened free attitude. One should not depend on fortune and its pattern. We should have our attitude towards life.
My Opinion About the Poem:
It is one of my favorite poems. It teaches us the value of self-confidence and self-reality. This Poem taught me that we should lead an optimistic and energetic life. The poem is short but teaches great values of life.
