Duality

Multiple truths can-and do-exist

I Hear America Singing

By Walt Whitman

I hear America singing, the varied carols I hear,

Those of mechanics, each one singing his as it should be blithe and strong,

The carpenter singing his as he measures his plank or beam,

The mason singing his as he makes ready for work, or leaves off work,

The boatman singing what belongs to him in his boat, the deckhand singing on the steamboat deck,

The shoemaker singing as he sits on his bench, the hatter singing as he stands,

The wood-cutter’s song, the ploughboy’s on his way in the morning, or at noon intermission or at sundown,

The delicious singing of the mother, or of the young wife at work, or of the girl sewing or washing,

Each singing what belongs to him or her and to none else,

The day what belongs to the day—at night the party of young fellows, robust, friendly,

Singing with open mouths their strong melodious songs.

Photo by The New York Public Library on Unsplash

The above poem is a well known poem by Walt Whitman. It has beautiful storytelling and imagery of all of the different ways that people can be American. I love the visceral feeling of using singing as the action verb. The singing of each life, as they move through their days.

This poem highlights a myriad of ways that you can be American. Celebrating the individual lives and also talking about how unique each perspective is. I like the thread of unity that is underlying each life too. It’s implied that each life singing it’s song ends up being a part of a chord or choir that creates a song that is layered with harmonies.

AND…

Another perspective was brought forward by Langston Hughes.