Song of the Open Road

Song of the Open Road

by Walt Whitman

1

Afoot and light‑hearted, I take to the open road,

Healthy, free, the world before me,

The long, brown path that leads wherever I choose.

From now on I ask not for good fortune; I am good fortune myself,

I do not whimper or postpone, I need nothing,

Done with indoor complaints, libraries, querulous criticism,

Strong and content, I travel the open road.

The earth is sufficient; I do not need the stars any closer,

I know they are well where they are, and they suffice for those who belong to them.

(Still here I carry my old burdens—

I carry them, men and women, wherever I go—

I swear it is impossible to rid myself of them,

I am filled with them, and I will fill them in return.)

2

As I enter the road and look around, I believe I am not the only one here,

Much remains unseen.

Here lies a profound lesson of acceptance, neither preference nor denial,

The black with his woolly head, the felon, the diseased, the illiterate—none are denied;

The birth, the hasty pursuit of the physician, the beggar’s tramp, the drunkard’s stagger, the laughing party of mechanics,

The escaped youth, the rich person’s carriage, the fop, the eloping couple,

The early market‑man, the hearse, the moving of furniture into the town, the return from the town,

They pass, I also pass; anything passes, none can be interdicted,

None but are accepted, none but shall be dear to me.

3

You air that lets me breathe to speak,

You objects that give my meanings shape,

You light that wraps me and all things in delicate, even showers,

You paths worn by the roadsides.

I believe you are latent with unseen existence; you are so dear to me.

You flagged walks of the cities, your strong curbs at the edges,

Your ferries, your planks and posts of wharves, your timber‑lined sides, your distant ships.

Rows of houses, window‑pierced façades, roofs, porches and entrances,

Copings and iron guards, windows whose transparent shells might expose so much,

Doors, ascending steps, arches, gray stones of endless pavements, trodden crossings.

From all that has touched you, I believe you have imparted to yourselves, and now would impart the same secretly to me,

From the living and the dead you have peopled your impassive surfaces, and the spirits thereof would be evident and amicable with me.

4

The earth expands with right hand and left hand,

The picture alive, every part in its best light,

Music falls where it is wanted and stops where it is not,

The cheerful voice of the public road, the gay, fresh sentiment of the road.

O highway I travel, do you say to me, “Do not leave me?”

Do you say, “Venture not—if you leave you are lost?”

Do you say, “I am already prepared, I am well‑beaten and undenied, adhere to me?”

O public road, I reply, “I am not afraid to leave you, yet I love you.”

You express me better than I can express myself.

These are heroic deeds performed in the open air and free poems written in a carefree environment.

Whatever I meet on the road I shall like, and whoever sees me shall like me.

5

From this hour I ordain myself free of limits and imaginary lines,

I go where I list, my own master, total and absolute,

Listening to others, considering well what they say,

Pausing, searching, receiving, contemplating.

Gently, but with undeniable will, I divest myself of the holds that would hold me.

I inhale great drafts of space; the east and west are mine, as are the north and south.

I am larger, better than I thought; I did not know I held so much goodness.

All seems beautiful to me; I can repeat to men and women: “You have done such good to me; I will do the same to you.”

I will recruit for myself and you as I go, scatter myself among men and women, toss new gladness and roughness among them,

Whoever denies me shall not trouble me; whoever accepts me shall be blessed and shall bless me.

6

Now if a thousand perfect men appear, it would not amaze me;

Now if a thousand beautiful women appear, it would not astonish me.

I see the secret of making the best people: to grow in the open air and to eat and sleep with the earth.

Here a great personal deed has room; it seizes the hearts of all men, overwhelms law, mocks all authority and all argument against it.

Here is the test of wisdom: wisdom is not finally tested in schools, cannot be passed from one who has it to one who does not.

Wisdom is of the soul, not susceptible to proof; it is its own proof, applies to all stages, objects, qualities, and is content.

It is the certainty of reality and immortality of things, and the excellence of things; something is present in the sight of things that provokes it out of the soul.

Now I re‑examine philosophies and religions; they may prove well in lecture rooms, yet not prove at all under the spacious clouds and along the landscape and flowing currents.

Here is realization: here is a man tallied—he realizes what he has in him, the past, the future, majesty, love—if he does not realize, he is not a man.

All the old things shed their skin, break forth new and young, and the new are old—as it is written.

The voice of the road is, “Proceed!”

Do not be afraid, my dear—the world is always yours.

What is any but a taste of what will be?

7

Allons! Through struggles and wars! The goal that was named cannot be countermanded.

Have the past struggles succeeded? What has succeeded—yourself, your nation, nature?

Now understand me well: it is provided in the essence of things that from any fruition of success, no matter what, something will make a greater struggle necessary.

My call is the call of battle; I nourish active rebellion.

He going with me must be well‑armed; he often goes with a spare diet, poverty, angry enemies, desertions.

These things I know before I go, yet I cannot stop.

I will not wait for anyone.

8

Allons! The road is before us. It is safe—I have tried it—my own feet have tried it well—be not detained!

Let the paper remain on the desk unwritten, the book on the shelf unopened.

Let the tools remain in the workshop; let the money remain unearned.

Let the school stand; mind not the cry of the teacher.

Let the preacher preach in his pulpit; let the lawyer plead in court, and the judge expound the law.

Camarado, I give you my hand! I give you my love more precious than money,

I give myself before preaching or law; Will you give me yourself? Will you come travel with me? Shall we stick by each other as long as we live?

Summary of Song of the Open Road

• Popularity of “Song of the Open Road”: Walt Whitman, a renowned American poet, wrote “Song of the Open Road.” It is a famous narrative poem about life lessons, observations, and joy. It was first published on July 4, 1855. The poem speaks of the freedom the speaker feels on his journey and illustrates how this journey fills his heart with immense pleasure. Though written in the mid‑nineteenth century, the poem is very much applicable today. Readers feel motivated and encouraged to enjoy nature, travel, and to be bold and courageous. The poem covers every aspect of human life and offers a solution as well.
• “Song of the Open Road” as a Representative of Joy: The poem expresses happiness as the speaker narrates what he feels and observes while walking on an open road. From the start, he separates himself from worldly needs, takes pride in his knowledge, and believes it to be the greatest of all possessions. The traveler knows he is in charge of choosing his path. He is traveling alone, feeling the pressure of society, and acknowledges that he and his burden share a meaningful relationship. He catalogs the diversity of people he encounters—from “the felon” to the “beggar’s tramp” to the “eloping couple.” The road opens new opportunities and invites readers to join him on his spiritual journey to uncover hidden treasures. He assures them that the road is safe, and instructs them not to lose hope even if they feel the earth is not treating them fairly. The poem encourages continuing the journey despite life’s troubles.

• Major Themes in “Song of the Open Road”: Freedom, joy, and optimism are the main themes. The poet encourages readers to be true to themselves and live a free life. Although his life has obligations and troubles, he urges everyone to pursue their dreams, leaving obstacles behind. His journey from community to nature gives him insight into true philosophies, realities, and hidden secrets of the world. He understands that the key to happiness is to remain true to his ideals, soul, and intelligence. The poem establishes that the earth offers multiple chances to fulfill dreams with the right motivation and determination.

Analysis of Literary Devices Used in “Song of the Open Road”

1. Enjambment: A thought in verse that does not end at a line break but continues to the next line.
2. Symbolism: Using symbols to signify ideas and qualities. “Open Road” symbolizes freedom and opportunity.
3. Alliteration: Repetition of consonant sounds in quick succession. Example: the /h/ in “The hasty pursuit of the physician” and the /m/ in “They too are on the road.”
4. Imagery: Using the senses to create vivid images. Example: “Let the paper remain on the desk unwritten, the book on the shelf unopened.”
5. Personification: Giving human qualities to inanimate objects. Example: “You air that serves me with breath to speak.”
6. Assonance: Repetition of vowel sounds. Example: the /a/ in “Where is he that undoes stratagems…” and the /o/ in “Allons! Through struggles and wars.”
7. Rhetorical Question: A question that does not require an answer but clarifies a point. Example: “Do you know what it is as you pass to be loved by strangers?”
8. Anaphora: Repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses. Example: “Do you know…” repeated in the final stanza of part three.

Analysis of Poetic Devices Used in “Song of the Open Road”

1. Stanza: A stanza is a group of lines in a poem. The poem contains seven stanzas, each varying in length.
2. Free Verse: The poem does not follow a strict rhyme or meter.

Quotes to be Used

The lines below are suitable as a quote in a motivational speech while assuring others that you will stand by them during their difficult times.

Camarado, I give you my hand! I give you my love more precious than money,

I give myself before preaching or law; Will you give me yourself? Will you come travel with me? Shall we stick by each other as long as we live?