Dedicated to G. and all her classmates. Congratulations to the Class of 2020.
When my older brother graduated from college, I put together for him an abridged version of Walt Whitman's poem, "Song of the Open Road."
This is, perhaps, not the most usual thing for a 21-year-old to give to her 23-year-old brother, but what can I say? I was an English major.
Anyway.
The reason I put together an abridged version is because DANG, that is a LONG poem. And parts of it are, in my opinion, pretentious and unnecessary. (You didn't know I was a literary critic, did you?) But there are still so many good lines in it.
I revisited it this week because my eldest niece is graduating from high school this month.
And what a time to be graduating, right?
I still believe, though, that those first few lines of the poem are some of the most inspiring for anyone embarking on a new phase of life.
Afoot and light-hearted, I take to the open road,
Healthy, free, the world before me,
The long brown path before me leading wherever I choose.
Such optimism! Such breezy self-confidence!
So maybe that long brown path seems a little more treacherous these days, but the open road awaits for the graduates, there to be traveled. And that is still a glorious prospect. Even if it doesn't seem like it right now.
P.S. Another line from this poem that seems particularly appropriate right now: "Out of the dark confinement! out from behind the screen!" Whitman was obviously speaking of a different kind of screen, but still. Spookily prescient, no? Get out from behind the screen! After you finish reading this, of course.
2 comments:
Love this, Kristin. Despite being an English major, I've read more about Whitman than what he actually wrote. Can't quote any further than "When lilacs last in the dooryard bloom'd." Although I will say that the MIL and I were the shining lights in a 16th century English lit class. Perhaps I should have been more of an American major...
Becky and I were not only the shining lights (our professor actually said that), we combined our mental forces to send "please drop this class" silent messages to a particularly obnoxious student who did in fact drop after a few weeks. It was a great accomplishment!
Such a cool message for G. Thanks for including us all.
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