The poet Whitman apostrophizes America as a living being that can be heard. Its indelible presence can be discerned through the song it delivers. It is singular for the unison that it represents. Through the voice of America, the poet hears the varied carols that stand for the different states of America. America is the song and the various carols are the stars that it encompasses in its flag. The lines of the poem can be compared to Sarojini Naidu’s “Bird Sanctuary” where various birds in the sanctuary herald the festival at dawn in harmony. The Sanctuary at once symbolizes India and the people from different walks of life heralding the Dawn of Independence.

Here also, Walt Whitman asserts how as each one merged into unison, he also possessed an individuality of his own pronounced with all the technicalities. They sang in an all cordial-mood:

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

The poet brings together people from all aspects of life together to underline the ‘unity in diversity’. He starts with the person who builds the very base-the mason. He sings his song as he gets ready for work. This highlights how this ‘song’ representative of America has become a way of life for the people. The boatman sings of what belongs to him and his boat; and the deckhand sings on the steamboat deck of what is not his. The deckhand is a member of the ship crew who performs menial labour. Therefore, through this single line, Walt Whitman emblematizes the capitalist class through the boatman who owns his own boat; and the deckman who stands for the labour class.

The shoemaker sings sitting, as he is engaged in the trivialities of life. The hatter is singing as he stands. The singing process takes place irrespective of the positions one assumes. Here the positions ‘sit’, ’stand’. etc. function as metaphors for the same. Note that the poet makes use of the present continuous tense to denote the continuity of the process. The use of free verse also signifies continuity.

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

The song is devoid of age-barriers that engage the ploughboy and the woodcutter in the same frame. It is also not bound by time constraints as it flows through morning, noon or dawn. It is also not far from domesticity and family roles as the mother experiences it as much as a young wife does. The girl sewing or washing sings as though the act of singing belongs to her and no one else.”—Each singing what belongs to her, and to none else. “ The metaphor of the song is indeed significant as it requires rhythm, balance and flow. At the end: the song is portrayed as that part of America-the Generation Next. They are filled with vitality, vivacity and vigor: a pointer to tomorrow:

The day what belongs to the day—At night, the party of young

fellows, robust, friendly,

Singing, with open mouths, their strong melodious songs.

© Rukhaya MK 2011

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