Part II (Pgs 15-25)

Summary: This portion of "Song of Myself" starts off with everyone in their place; everyone is "at their post" so to speak. "The canal boy trots on the tow-path, the book-keeper counts at his desk..." Then everything sleeps. In all of these events with everyone in their place he continually weaves the "song of [himself.] He affirms his conclusion that he is in and a part of everything. He explains how he "is old and young." Whitman shows no favoritism. He goes on to reveal his purpose and put it plainly, "I exist as I am, that is enough,"

Commentary: Personally, I feel like this guy, no matter how beautifully he puts it, is a walking contradiction. "Of every hue and caste am I, of every rank and religion, A farmer, mechanic, artist, gentleman, sailor, Quaker, prisoner, fancy-man, rowdy, lawyer, physician, priest..." I mean, the writing is great! But as much as we want to be connected to everything and everybody, we, in a sense, are, BUT we will always be ourselves and that's it. We can expand that definition I suppose...what is “myself." You know? Who defines such? God? Whitman’s not much of a "God" advocate...well his definition of God isn't really mine so I guess he can define himself as anything he wants. I consider myself and God in everything too, but I think the difference between Walt Whitman and I is that to him, everything is equal. God, the flowers, his soul, drunkards, to him they are all the same. I guess I just can’t agree with that.