這首美國教科書必教的詩，當年出版的時候（1855 年），乏人問津不算，評論家給的評語，“自我陶醉， 下流，鬼扯蛋” －－egotism, vulgarity, and nonsense 如果大受歡迎，是作家的目標，啊－－恐怕那種作家就不會搭上人類文明進化－－的列車 －－ Ones-Self I Sing Ones-self I sing, a simple separate person, Yet utter the word Democratic, the word En-Masse. Of physiology from top to toe I sing, Not physiognomy alone nor brain alone is worthy for the Muse, I say the Form complete is worthier far, The Female equally with the Male I sing. Of Life immense in passion, pulse, and power, Cheerful, for freest action formd under the laws divine, The Modern Man I sing. －－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－ Ones Self I Sing, was published in 1881 as the first poem for the final phase of, Leaves of Grass. Whitmans third and final phase was known as the inscriptions section. As the first phase of Leaves of Grass was published in 1855 most of the press was unaware of the piece, but if there was an opinion about the poem it was mostly unpleasant because according to, Boston Intelligencers, Leaves of Grass, was a, heterogeneous mass of bombast, egotism, vulgarity, and nonsense. Even though the attitude towards the poem was not favorable in July 1855 Whitman received his famous letter from Emerson in appreciation of his words of strength, freedom, and power, as well as, meets the demand I am always making of what seemed the sterile and stingy Nature.
Posted on: Sun, 04 Jan 2015 05:02:52 +0000