Mason

So he's not saying go wild and do whatever you want. It's more about self-acceptance on this deeper level.

So he's not saying go wild and do whatever you want. It's more about self-acceptance on this deeper level.

all the complexities and contradictions. He doesn't make it easy. And he does it all in this incredibly powerful language that just draws you in. There's one section that really captures this bold approach to the body. Section 28.

all the complexities and contradictions. He doesn't make it easy. And he does it all in this incredibly powerful language that just draws you in. There's one section that really captures this bold approach to the body. Section 28.

It's incredibly sensual, almost violent in the imagery. He describes this encounter with like such force, such raw passion that it's almost unsettling.

It's incredibly sensual, almost violent in the imagery. He describes this encounter with like such force, such raw passion that it's almost unsettling.

It's definitely a complicated passage.

It's definitely a complicated passage.

It definitely challenges our modern sensibilities. It makes us confront the raw power of physical desire, which was pretty much never talked about openly in Whitman's time.

It definitely challenges our modern sensibilities. It makes us confront the raw power of physical desire, which was pretty much never talked about openly in Whitman's time.

And letting us figure it out for ourselves. It's interesting, though, because even with all this talk about the body, Song of Myself doesn't feel like a sexy poem, you know, in the typical sense. It's more about this deep spiritual connection with yourself and with the universe.

And letting us figure it out for ourselves. It's interesting, though, because even with all this talk about the body, Song of Myself doesn't feel like a sexy poem, you know, in the typical sense. It's more about this deep spiritual connection with yourself and with the universe.

So the body becomes this bridge between personal experience and universal truth. He takes these big philosophical ideas and grounds them in the physical reality of our existence.

So the body becomes this bridge between personal experience and universal truth. He takes these big philosophical ideas and grounds them in the physical reality of our existence.

And that's a powerful message, especially in our world today, where we're often so disconnected from our bodies. We spend so much time in our heads staring at screens that we forget to actually like inhabit our physical selves.

And that's a powerful message, especially in our world today, where we're often so disconnected from our bodies. We spend so much time in our heads staring at screens that we forget to actually like inhabit our physical selves.

He's giving us permission to be fully present in our bodies, to experience the world with all our senses. That's a pretty liberating feeling.

He's giving us permission to be fully present in our bodies, to experience the world with all our senses. That's a pretty liberating feeling.

You know, we were talking earlier about Whitman being this poet of the people. And I think his whole approach to the body is a great example of that democratic spirit, too. He's taking something that was taboo, something people were ashamed to talk about, and bringing it out in the open.

You know, we were talking earlier about Whitman being this poet of the people. And I think his whole approach to the body is a great example of that democratic spirit, too. He's taking something that was taboo, something people were ashamed to talk about, and bringing it out in the open.