Poetic appreciation

Poetic Appreciation of the Poem ‘Song of the Open Road’

About the poem / poet:

Song of the Open Road is a narrative poem written by the famous American poet, essayist, and journalist Walt Whitman. It is taken from his well-known poetry collection Leaves of Grass. Whitman is known as the ‘Father of Free Verse’. This poem beautifully expresses human emotions and the desire for freedom.

The title: The title is meaningful because the “open road” shows  freedom and movement.

Theme: The main theme of the poem is enjoying freedom, believing in yourself, and staying positive. The poet encourages us to enjoy life as a journey on the open road.

Poetic Style: The poem is divided into four stanzas. Except for the first stanza which has three lines, the rest have four lines each. It is written in free verse which allows the poet to express his thoughts freely.

Language / Poetic Devices: Whitman uses simple but powerful language to convey his ideas. He uses several poetic devices like Alliteration, Repetition, Antithesis, Paradox and Metaphor. For example, the “road” is used as a metaphor for life.

Special Features: The poem is written in the first-person narration that gives a personal touch and connects with the reader. The use of brackets in the fourth stanza makes the poem unique and effective.

Message / Values / Morals in the Poem: The poem gives a positive and inspiring message. It teaches us to live life with confidence, happy, independent and reminds us that life is a journey to be enjoyed at every step.

My Opinion: I like this poem because it gives us a new attitude to look at life and should not live the routines of ordinary life.