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Somewhere Waiting: Song of Myself
Carefully culled to about one third of its original length, this version provides the perfect introduction to Whitman's most expansive and audacious poem. Combined with 27 illustrations, the book explores Whitman's own exuberant, witty, playful, transcendent theory of everything, beginning with "a spear of summer grass."
88 pages, Paperback
Published December 7, 2018
3 people are currently reading
44 people want to read
About the author
Walt Whitman
1,792 books5,411 followersWalter Whitman Jr. was an American poet, essayist, and journalist. He is considered one of the most influential poets in American literature. Whitman incorporated both transcendentalism and realism in his writings and is often called the father of free verse. His work was controversial in his time, particularly his 1855 poetry collection Leaves of Grass, which was described by some as obscene for its overt sensuality.
Whitman was born in Huntington on Long Island, and lived in Brooklyn as a child and through much of his career. At the age of 11, he left formal schooling to go to work. He worked as a journalist, a teacher, and a government clerk. Whitman's major poetry collection, Leaves of Grass, first published in 1855, was financed with his own money and became well known. The work was an attempt to reach out to the common person with an American epic. Whitman continued expanding and revising Leaves of Grass until his death in 1892.
During the American Civil War, he went to Washington, D.C., and worked in hospitals caring for the wounded. His poetry often focused on both loss and healing. On the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, whom Whitman greatly admired, he authored two poems, "O Captain! My Captain!" and "When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom'd", and gave a series of lectures on Lincoln. After suffering a stroke towards the end of his life, Whitman moved to Camden, New Jersey, where his health further declined. When he died at the age of 72, his funeral was a public event.
Whitman's influence on poetry remains strong. Art historian Mary Berenson wrote, "You cannot really understand America without Walt Whitman, without Leaves of Grass... He has expressed that civilization, 'up to date,' as he would say, and no student of the philosophy of history can do without him." Modernist poet Ezra Pound called Whitman "America's poet... He is America."
Whitman was born in Huntington on Long Island, and lived in Brooklyn as a child and through much of his career. At the age of 11, he left formal schooling to go to work. He worked as a journalist, a teacher, and a government clerk. Whitman's major poetry collection, Leaves of Grass, first published in 1855, was financed with his own money and became well known. The work was an attempt to reach out to the common person with an American epic. Whitman continued expanding and revising Leaves of Grass until his death in 1892.
During the American Civil War, he went to Washington, D.C., and worked in hospitals caring for the wounded. His poetry often focused on both loss and healing. On the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, whom Whitman greatly admired, he authored two poems, "O Captain! My Captain!" and "When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom'd", and gave a series of lectures on Lincoln. After suffering a stroke towards the end of his life, Whitman moved to Camden, New Jersey, where his health further declined. When he died at the age of 72, his funeral was a public event.
Whitman's influence on poetry remains strong. Art historian Mary Berenson wrote, "You cannot really understand America without Walt Whitman, without Leaves of Grass... He has expressed that civilization, 'up to date,' as he would say, and no student of the philosophy of history can do without him." Modernist poet Ezra Pound called Whitman "America's poet... He is America."
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
January 2, 2020
Have you heard that it was good to gain the day?
I also say it is good to fall, battles are lost
in the same spirit in which they are won.
Confession: I don't believe I've ever read "Song of Myself" before. In fact, I've been reading Leaves of Grass on and off for several months now and recently halted right at "Song of Myself" because I wanted to save it for when I had some quiet time to devote to it. Somewhere Waiting, a volume in the Obvious State series of illustrated poems, is abridged for space, so it's probably better for (1) someone who's never read "Song of Myself" before and (2) someone who still plans to read the entire poem. That's me, and I thought this would be a good way to start the New Year. It was! To my eye this was skillfully abridged; the illustrations beautifully depicted the cyclical themes of the poem, and the sentiments Whitman expresses are joyful and timeless. I may start a tradition of beginning all new years with a bit of Walt Whitman.
I also say it is good to fall, battles are lost
in the same spirit in which they are won.
Confession: I don't believe I've ever read "Song of Myself" before. In fact, I've been reading Leaves of Grass on and off for several months now and recently halted right at "Song of Myself" because I wanted to save it for when I had some quiet time to devote to it. Somewhere Waiting, a volume in the Obvious State series of illustrated poems, is abridged for space, so it's probably better for (1) someone who's never read "Song of Myself" before and (2) someone who still plans to read the entire poem. That's me, and I thought this would be a good way to start the New Year. It was! To my eye this was skillfully abridged; the illustrations beautifully depicted the cyclical themes of the poem, and the sentiments Whitman expresses are joyful and timeless. I may start a tradition of beginning all new years with a bit of Walt Whitman.
November 21, 2021
“I exist as I am, that is enough,
If no other in the world be aware I sit content,
And if each and all be aware I sit content.”
A cute little book containing only one poem accompanied by some minimalistic illustrations. I’ll have to read more of these editions by Obvious State but definitely enjoyed this one that was dedicated to Walt Whitman’s Song of Myself.
If no other in the world be aware I sit content,
And if each and all be aware I sit content.”
A cute little book containing only one poem accompanied by some minimalistic illustrations. I’ll have to read more of these editions by Obvious State but definitely enjoyed this one that was dedicated to Walt Whitman’s Song of Myself.
June 6, 2020
Opening lines: ‘I celebrate myself, and sing myself, And what I assume you shall assume.’
July 9, 2019
Summer 2019 (200th birthday edition);
I have a deep and endless love for the multi-published Leaves of Grass, since laying down in my backyard with the book and connecting to it so much deeper than I expected from a class assignment.
I have gone on to have endless love for 'Song of Myself', with my favorite quote of all time ['Do I contradict myself? Very well. I contradict myself. (I am large. I contain multitudes.)'], and to name each of my successive Kindles 'Leaves of Grass I/II/etc' in a tongue-in-cheek joke that if Whitman could keep publishing the same book with more every time, I, too, could keep naming it the same with a new number as a dedication to him.
I've done the reviews for this book before, and books about it, so I'm going to focus on the nature of what this publication is. Obvious State is an amazing company bringing sharp graphic design into classics to highlight their art and focus and having offered this book at two-for-one in honor of Whitman's 200th birthday, I had to jump at it. I have a number of the prints already in this book, due to being this poem especially, but the book itself is a treasure. I advise it to all, and I will be picking up the other pieces in the series.
I have a deep and endless love for the multi-published Leaves of Grass, since laying down in my backyard with the book and connecting to it so much deeper than I expected from a class assignment.
I have gone on to have endless love for 'Song of Myself', with my favorite quote of all time ['Do I contradict myself? Very well. I contradict myself. (I am large. I contain multitudes.)'], and to name each of my successive Kindles 'Leaves of Grass I/II/etc' in a tongue-in-cheek joke that if Whitman could keep publishing the same book with more every time, I, too, could keep naming it the same with a new number as a dedication to him.
I've done the reviews for this book before, and books about it, so I'm going to focus on the nature of what this publication is. Obvious State is an amazing company bringing sharp graphic design into classics to highlight their art and focus and having offered this book at two-for-one in honor of Whitman's 200th birthday, I had to jump at it. I have a number of the prints already in this book, due to being this poem especially, but the book itself is a treasure. I advise it to all, and I will be picking up the other pieces in the series.
February 7, 2025
Do I contradict myself? Very well then I contradict myself; / I am large I contain multitudes.
This is an abridged version of the poem. It includes illustrations and an artistic structure. For those looking for an overview of “Song of Myself,” this serves as a suitable sample.
When I was younger, I saw this as narcissistic. Now, I see the value in recognizing the individual and the interconnectedness of everything. Awakening means seeing the ordinary in an extraordinary way.
There is a tremendous amount of wisdom in this poem, a celebration of being human and not feeling a single ounce of shame in it.
“I exist as I am, that is enough / If no other in the world be aware I sit content, / And if each and all be aware I sit content.”
Grab a copy of the poem in its entirety and sip on it like a good cup of coffee and celebrate yourself…“for every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you.”
This is an abridged version of the poem. It includes illustrations and an artistic structure. For those looking for an overview of “Song of Myself,” this serves as a suitable sample.
When I was younger, I saw this as narcissistic. Now, I see the value in recognizing the individual and the interconnectedness of everything. Awakening means seeing the ordinary in an extraordinary way.
There is a tremendous amount of wisdom in this poem, a celebration of being human and not feeling a single ounce of shame in it.
“I exist as I am, that is enough / If no other in the world be aware I sit content, / And if each and all be aware I sit content.”
Grab a copy of the poem in its entirety and sip on it like a good cup of coffee and celebrate yourself…“for every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you.”
February 23, 2019
I think this poem doesn’t work for this series. It’s gorgeous and the artist is amazing (I adore The Raven and Prufrock books Obvious State has released); but the two don’t gel together. Probably due to the length. I will continue to collect these volumes; this one just doesn’t do it for me.
October 10, 2020
Beautifully, evocatively illustrated
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews