Song of Myself (Part 15) - Walt Whitman
A Vibrant Tapestry of Occupations and Ordinary Scenes
The pure contralto sings in the organ loft,
The carpenter dresses his plank, the tongue of his foreplane whistles its wild ascending lisp,
The married and unmarried children ride home to their Thanksgiving dinner,
The pilot seizes the king-pin, he heaves down with a strong arm,
The mate stands braced in the whale-boat, lance and harpoon are ready,
The duck-shooter walks by silent and cautious stretches,
The deacons are ordain’d with cross’d hands at the altar,
The spinning-girl retreats and advances to the hum of the big wheel,
The farmer stops by the bars as he walks on a First-day loaf and looks at the oats and rye,
The lunatic is carried at last to the asylum a confirmed case,
(He will never sleep any more as he did in the cot in his mother’s bedroom;)
The jour printer with gray head and gaunt jaws works at his case,
He turns his quid of tobacco while his eyes blur with the manuscript;
The malform’d limbs are tied to the surgeon’s table,
What is removed drops horribly in a pail;
The quadroon girl is sold at the auction-stand, the drunkard nods by the bar-room stove,
The machinist rolls up his sleeves, the policeman travels his beat,
The gate-keeper marks who pass, the young fellow drives the express-wagon,
(He gives a call that mocks the silence of the morning at the toll-gate,)
The cart-lumpers in the wharf-shed are packing their cargo,
And so will you and I pass to and fro amid these scenes…
In Part 15 of Walt Whitman’s “Song of Myself,” the poet offers a kaleidoscopic view of ordinary people engaged in their various trades, duties, and daily occupations. By shifting our focus from carpenters and organists to farmers and whalemen, he highlights the vast diversity of human experience. These scenes may be everyday, but Whitman insists they carry profound weight, deserving of our attention and respect.
An underlying theme is the intrinsic value of each person’s role in society. From the printer diligently bent over his type to the father guiding his children home for Thanksgiving, each figure embodies a unique point of connection in the social fabric. Even distressing images—like a surgical procedure or the auction-block—are interwoven with more comforting ones, underscoring the complexity of existence. Whitman never shies away from harsh realities; instead, he folds them into an expansive vision that embraces life in all its vivid contrasts.
By enumerating these snapshots, Whitman breaks down the boundaries that separate individuals, suggesting that we are all woven together by shared experiences. The poet’s inclusive tone invites us to witness these moments as emblematic of our common humanity. Whether it’s the ringing hum of a spinning wheel or the roar of a whale-boat, each sound and gesture contributes to the chorus of everyday life. In Whitman’s hands, this part of the poem becomes a grand celebration of both the mundane and the miraculous.
Key points
• Each person’s work and role in society contains its own depth and dignity.
• Daily tasks, though humble, contribute to a vast, interconnected tapestry.
• Whitman embraces the contrasts of life—joy, hardship, triumph, and routine.
• Observing and honoring diverse occupations fosters empathy and understanding.
• “Song of Myself (Part 15)” highlights common bonds that unite us all in human experience.