Comments for bmzreece

Comment on “After the Battle” – a Walt Whitman Cinepoem, by Brian Reece by jillians

jillians — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 18:43:41 +0000

As I said in class, I think it is obvious you put much time and effort into this and I really enjoyed watching. Good job!

Comment on Election by lizmoser

lizmoser — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 00:34:45 +0000

I’d definitely vote the Historical Party ticket.

Comment on Election by jillians

jillians — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 22:46:17 +0000

That is awesome! In fact, I am a little jealous that I did not find it first!

Comment on Brian for November 17 by lizmoser

lizmoser — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 22:34:33 +0000

An interesting argument! Perhaps Whitman’s work actually does pass the Poe test. Although I am a Poe fan myself, I have trouble thinking of their respective styles as existing in the same plane of reality.

Poe’s essay on “The Raven”–written after the poem’s publication and popular success, demonstrates the simple, logical steps that the poet took to create the poem (if you can really believe that.) Poetry is not ethereal poetic inspiration, but the logical connection of words and rhyme and meter, like an intricate pocket watch.

Compare that to Whitman’s on-the-scene news reporter writing, or his political bursts, or his stream-of-consciousness jumps from scene to scene in “Song of Myself.” These are two entirely different concepts that are hard to reconcile.

Comment on Brian for November 17 by bmzreece

bmzreece — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 13:24:11 +0000

Couldn’t agree more with that last statement you make, and although [as you point out] even some of Whitman’s early writings exhibit a preoccupation with Death, I think we all would agree that the war — particularly Whitman’s up-close experience with death in it — played a profound role in accentuating this particular predisposition [and its preponderance] within his later thought and writing.

Comment on Brian for November 17 by s-words

s-words — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 22:41:04 +0000

After having traced the trajectory of Whitman’s own poetic career this semester, I hardly find it surprising that Uncle Walt would have praised Poe’s “melodious expressions… of human morbidity.” Death (capital D) rises within Whitman’s work as an increasingly central source of power, ultimately attaining a position of THE governing force in his poetic universe: “I do not think Life provides for all and for Time and Space, / but I believe Heavenly Death provides for all” (from “Assurances,” p. 563 of Library of America collection). Even Whitman’s earliest poetry incorporates this acknowledgment of mortality, but with decidedly less dread than Poe gave the subject: “to die is different from what anyone supposed, and luckier” (“Song of Myself,” p. 32). Whitman’s approbation of Poe signifies, to me, his apprehension of their shared aesthetic preoccupations, if not of any resemblance between their poetic sensibilities.

Comment on Brian for Nov 10 by jillians

jillians — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 00:46:11 +0000

You find great photos and make really good connections between the then and now! As always, very interesting.

Comment on Brian for Nov 10 by jenny and walt

jenny and walt — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 20:10:55 +0000

Haha, I really enjoyed reading your post! Very entertaining PLUS informative. But yes. I agree with you about how Whitman did seem to be more interested in the “act of voting” rather than characters. Great post. (Great comments along with the pictures too!)

Comment on Brian for Oct 06 — George Washington [Whitman] by kevinv

kevinv — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 16:43:48 +0000

It is very interesting to see the best and worst of an area but more importantly a time period. George Washington was the greatest American before there even was an America. Aside from Whitman’s Writings we know he and his family were very patriotic and political. George Washington Whitman’s name is testament to that. Great picture of George by the way i can certainly see the resemblance of Walt.

Comment on Brian for September 29 – Calamus, Ulysses, etc. by emilym

emilym — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 20:09:20 +0000

Very informative. This definitely helped me in my understanding of the reading. Cool connection!