Writers...Meet Society (Blog #1)

In the poem, “Once I Pass’d Through a Populous City” by Walt Whitman is a poem, like most, can be interpreted in anyway that one pleases. As I was reading some literary criticism on the poem I ran across a blog that made a very strong point. As well all know, Whitman was bisexual and/or homosexual. One person made the statement that the original hand-written manuscript of this poem was discovered and that the poet had changed the gender before the poem was finished. After I discovered this I replaced “woman” with “man” as well as “her” with “him” and could see that this would fit Whitman’s lifestyle. If this is in fact true, Whitman was writing a poem about a man he once met while possibly traveling into a large city. This city was one that made an instant impressing on him by “imprinting my brain for future use with its shows, architecture, customs, and traditions.” Whitman goes on to say that there was a woman (man) that he casually met that made him more or less love himself. They were together day and night and spent a majority of their time together, which is what someone is likely to do if they find someone the are attracted to or have that “love at first site” feeling. He then gives reference to how he remembers how the woman (man) “passionately clung to me.” With that reference, it shows that they were sexually involved with one another. Whitman is known for PG-13 rated references in his poems and this one was no exception. The remainder of the poem leads me to believe that he has to leave for work possible because it says, “Again we wander, we love, we separate again, again she (he) holds me by the hand, I must not go.” This is some serious stuff. Put yourself in this position to where you have quite possibly found the love of your life but you can’t be together. What do you do? Make every effort to do such, though you know it will be a long and hard goodbye. The end seems as though she (he) takes separating harder that Whitman, “beside me with silent lips sad and tremulous.” This poem is one that is classically viewed as a love poem from man to woman, but during the time of the publication homosexuality was frowned upon by society. This goes to show that society can dictate what a writer in fact can write. It is, as if, limitations can be set on ones work. Then think to yourself, if Whitman would have published this with the word “he” and “him,” would we have read it in American Literature class. Just a thought.