The poem, “When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom’d” by Walt Whitman was a very difficult poem for me to follow. He writes this eulogy upon hearing that Abraham Lincoln died. You have to really study the things he writes and focus in on the meaning behind the words of every line or else you will lose the purpose of the words. My favorite line was, “But I saw they were not as was thought” in line 180 because it reminds the reader that death is not the end and there is more on the other side. One of many very challenging lines in this poem is, “Falling upon them all and among them all, enveloping me with the rest, appear’d the cloud, appear’d the long black trail, and I knew death, its thought, and the sacred knowledge of death.” Prior to this line he describes the ocean and the harbor, the houses and streets. I believe that Whitman is saying that he was either sensing death or someone was coming to tell him of the death and he could sense what it was.
Personally this poem affected me because recently I lost my grandfather so I was able to put myself in the pain of loss and reflect on death in general. I think a trip to the cemetery is going to deepen the experience of reading this poem because we will see death first hand. So long as everyone approaches the cemetery correctly and with respect I believe that it will be a very moving experience that everyone can learn very much from. I look forward to it.
"...and I knew death, its thought, and the sacred knowledge of death."
ReplyDeleteThis was my favorite line from the poem. The poem was difficult for me to follow as well. I found that the trip was moving for me, though perhaps not in the same way as it was for you. I was moved by the realization of how many people died so young, and realizing how much their families and friends were affected by the death. I offer my condolances for your loss...