Friday, February 22, 2013

TO BE A SAILOR OF THE WORLD


It's school visit season for me, which is full of JOY, so for Poetry Friday I thought I'd share a little Walt Whitman. Here's an excerpt from "Poem of Joys" from LEAVES OF GRASS:
19

O to have my life henceforth a poem of new joys!


To dance, clap hands, exult, shout, skip, leap, roll on, float on,

To be a sailor of the world, bound for all ports,

A ship itself, (see indeed these sails I spread to the sun and air,)

A swift and swelling ship, full of rich words—full of joys.

complete poem here. Be sure to visit Sheri Doyle for Roundup! And think of me enjoying students today at Crestline Elementary School in Birmingham, Alabama! Pictures coming soon of my recent adventures. xo

10 comments:

  1. Oh, those lucky children. I wish I could attend one of your sessions, but we are certainly lucky to be able to have you visit via Skype!!! I am looking forward to your photos, too. Thank you, again, so much for being part of National Read Aloud Day and coming via Skype to our part of the north!!
    Janet F.

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  2. Lucky chlidren indeed! I shall have to "listen in" through your blog to see how it all went.

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  3. Happy Author Visit Season to you!!

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  4. My favorite lines in that poem:
    O for the swiftness and balance of fishes!
    O for the dropping of rain-drops in a poem!

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  5. I love the line"
    "To dance, clap hands, exult, shout, skip, leap, roll on, float on," - pure joy! Thanks for sharing this poem. Enjoy your school visits, too. =)

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  6. I'm glad it's a happy time for you Irene. Nice to hear the exultation (and joy) from Whitman.

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  7. My favorite lines:

    O the gleesome saunter over fields and hill-sides!
    The leaves and flowers of the commonest weeds—the moist fresh stillness of the woods,
    The exquisite smell of the earth at day-break, and all through the forenoon.


    I can't wait for the spring! This year it will be a JOY!

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  8. Your OLW -SKY-kind of hidden in there - (To be) A ship itself, (see indeed these sails I spread to the sun and air,)

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  9. Thanks for spreading more Walt Whitman joy!!
    Looking forward to those pictures. : )

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  10. I always think I don't like Whitman, but I think maybe I need to rethink that. Hope your school visit went well.

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Your thoughts?