"Song of the Open Road" Analysis

    "Song of the Open Road" by renowned poet Walt Whitman beautifully portrays a sacred journey. Whitman was a world-class poet during a time of transcendentalism and reflected an appreciation for nature through his poetry. In "Song of the Open Road", the narrator describes the beginning of a new journey for life. He describes the spiritual aspect of his journey by saying, "You road I enter upon and look around, I believe you are not all that is here,/ I believe that much unseen is also here." The poem continues as a sort of criticism against man and conformity. Whitman preaches a yearning for open air and to reconnect with nature. However, the main idea of this poem is the journey, not the destination. We have discussed much in class about sacred journeys and Whitman's poem reflects the importance of a journey to restart and refresh one's life. 

 Whitman, Walt. "Song of the Open Road by Walt Whitman." Poetry Foundation, Poetry Foundation,        www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/48859/song-of-the-open-road.

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