Analysis of Souvenirs Of Democracy
Walt Whitman 1819 (West Hills) – 1892 (Camden)
THE business man, the acquirer vast,
After assiduous years, surveying results, preparing for departure,
Devises houses and lands to his children--bequeaths stocks, goods--
funds for a school or hospital,
Leaves money to certain companions to buy tokens, souvenirs of gems
and gold;
Parceling out with care--And then, to prevent all cavil,
His name to his testament formally signs.
But I, my life surveying,
With nothing to show, to devise, from its idle years,
Nor houses, nor lands--nor tokens of gems or gold for my friends,
Only these Souvenirs of Democracy--In them--in all my songs--behind
me leaving, 10
To You, who ever you are, (bathing, leavening this leaf especially
with my breath--pressing on it a moment with my own hands;
--Here! feel how the pulse beats in my wrists!--how my heart's-blood
is swelling, contracting!)
I will You, in all, Myself, with promise to never desert you,
To which I sign my name.
Scheme | XXXAXXAX BXXXBXXXBXX |
---|---|
Poetic Form | |
Metre | 0101001001 100101010010101010 01010011110111 1101110 11011001011100111 01 1001110110111 11111001001 1111010 1101110111101 110111101111111 101011010001011101 110 11110111010011010 11110110101111 1110110111111 110100 111011110110101 111111 |
Closest metre | Iambic hexameter |
Characters | 1,044 |
Words | 155 |
Sentences | 6 |
Stanzas | 2 |
Stanza Lengths | 8, 11 |
Lines Amount | 19 |
Letters per line (avg) | 37 |
Words per line (avg) | 11 |
Letters per stanza (avg) | 356 |
Words per stanza (avg) | 100 |
Font size:
Submitted on May 13, 2011
Modified on March 18, 2023
- 46 sec read
- 70 Views
Citation
Use the citation below to add this poem analysis to your bibliography:
Style:MLAChicagoAPA
"Souvenirs Of Democracy" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 29 Apr. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/38150/souvenirs-of-democracy>.
Discuss this Walt Whitman poem analysis with the community:
Report Comment
We're doing our best to make sure our content is useful, accurate and safe.
If by any chance you spot an inappropriate comment while navigating through our website please use this form to let us know, and we'll take care of it shortly.
Attachment
You need to be logged in to favorite.
Log In