Walt Whitman's Leaves of Grass is unquestionably a poetic masterpiece and a<br />cornerstone of American literature. Yet how many times has the work been heard<br />in the full spirit of the voice that Whitman intended?<br />The United States confronts the same divisions and idealistic tensions today as<br />when Whitman first began publishing in 1855. To show that this text does not<br />sound dated in the least, I intend to sing the book for a new generation of<br />Americans, for myself, and because Walt told me to.<br />I will explore with my audience the answers Whitman came to in versifying the<br />contradictions of the American soul, and the hope of the American experiment.
Weekly Whitman
Claim This Podcastby John Hawley
8 episodes
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Podcast Overview
Walt Whitman's Leaves of Grass is unquestionably a poetic masterpiece and a<br />cornerstone of American literature. Yet how many times has the work been heard<br />in the full spirit of the voice that Whitman intended?<br />The United States confronts the same divisions and idealistic tensions today as<br />when Whitman first began publishing in 1855. To show that this text does not<br />sound dated in the least, I intend to sing the book for a new generation of<br />Americans, for myself, and because Walt told me to.<br />I will explore with my audience the answers Whitman came to in versifying the<br />contradictions of the American soul, and the hope of the American experiment.
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Publishing Since
8/1/2023
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Recent Episodes
September 7, 2023
Audio-only version - Part 6 - Inscriptions - Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman
As we gather to listen you will find this episode a pivot point. Walt and I begin here at section 16 of "Starting From Paumanok," the long-form, microcosmic, final inscription piece to Leaves of Grass. I conclude the reading by barking out a version of the opening to "Song of Myself." I intend to release audio-only versions of all my Weekly Whitmans. I'm releasing this one first because, well yes, it's true, I am getting some complaints about my crop top. Secondly, I'm not quite done with the video yet. Special guest this week: W.A. Mozart, giving us a rondo from his horn concerto no.4 (Whitman often went to the symphony and spoke of enjoying the works of contemporary and classical composers). Allegro vivace!
August 31, 2023
Weekly Whitman Preview
"But you ye untold latencies will thrill to every page. . ."
August 27, 2023
Part 5 - Inscriptions - Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman
This episode begins at section 14 of "Starting From Paumanok," the long-form, free-wheeling final Inscription poem, set in the book before the Leaves lead us into "Song of Myself," and Whitman's immortal opening lines, uttered originally in 1855, and in the soul many years before then, and still the same words in the Deathbed edition - "I celebrate myself, and sing myself..." Yet it must be heard prefaced by the very first line of the Inscriptions, "One's self I sing, a simple separate person, / Yet utter the word Democratic, the word En-Masse." In case you are just now tuning in to my Whitman broadcast here, I have set myself the task of doing a reading of the entirety of Leaves of Grass. It will likely take me years. The idea does not seem daunting because Whitman inspires me, it's that simple. Every time I go to the book I'm uplifted, and every part of the whole experience is fulfilling in itself. When I read Leaves of Grass closely and with the ear of the heart, each bout of it makes me feel good and strong and compassionate. What other reason could there be to read a poem? What other reason could there be to do anything, for that matter? If you, too, my listener, my friend, if you yourself have ever wanted to read Whitman straight through, why not read it with me? I can assure you Walt has been calling out to you. Why not sing with us? Line by line, week by week, section by section, lifetime by lifetime. This episode cuts off at the end of section 15. Walt and I will be back next week to pick it up at the top of section 16 of "Starting From Paumanok." Thank you for listening, thank you for being with me these moments.
8 total episodes available
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