My Song By Ali Katz

It wasn’t too long ago when claiming Walt Whitman as my favorite poet was a little embarrassing. People gave me funny looks and said things like: ‘Whitman is so 19th century’ and ‘Don’t you think he’s just so… ordinary?’ and ‘Poetry has to experiment, use language in new ways to make it beautiful.’

But, it doesn’t bother me anymore. Truth is, when someone’s words speak to me, whether prose or verse, it’s poetry.

Look at this:
Poemet.

That shadow, my likeness, that goes to and fro, seek-
xxxx ing a livelihood, chattering, chaffering,
How often I find myself standing and looking at it
xxxx where it flits,
How often I question and doubt whether that is really
xxxx me;
But in these, and among my lovers, and carolling my
xxxx songs,
O I never doubt whether that is really me.
WALT WHITMAN.

My songs are in the thrill that passes through me at the silhouette of a tree on a hillside, or the sight of the wind passing over a meadow. The real me takes time to appreciate the beauty around her.

My songs are in the building of a scene, bringing a character to life, the crafting of a beautiful sentence that says more than the sum of its parts. The real me has a talent that some people actually appreciate.

My songs are in learning, in letting my mind ask questions and seek answers. The real me is a lifetime student of history and science and astounding facts.

My song is in solitude, where the real me comes out to play and enjoys the company.

“Dismiss whatever insults your own soul, and your very flesh shall be a great poem.” ~~Leaves of Grass, 1855

Thanks for reading.
ali

Read more from Ali on her Blog, Love Songs or her Website, Passion In Spades

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