27 AUG 2023 · 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.