Wednesday, July 04, 2007

The Fourth of July


I hear America singing, the varied carols I hear;
Those of mechanics -- each one singing his, as it should be,
blithe and strong;
The carpenter singing his, as he measures his plank and beam;
The mason singing his, as he makes ready for work,
or leaves off work;
The boatman singing what belongs to him in his boat --
the deckhand singing on the steamboat deck;
The shoemaker singing as he sits on his bench --
the hatter singing as he stands;
The wood-cutter's song -- the ploughboy's, on his way
in the morning, or at the noon intermission, or at sundown;
The delicious singing of the mother -- or of the young wife
at work -- or of the girl sewing or washing -- Each singing
what belongs to her, and to none else;
The day what belongs to the day -- At night, the party of
young fellows, robust, friendly,
Singing, with open mouths, their strong melodious songs.


-Walt Whitman
- "Leaves of Grass"

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Happy 4th of July spd and Portia.

- Cass

spd rdr said...

Thanks, Cass. It's the day that is all of out birthdays. It still means so much to me.

portia said...

Happy belated Fourth of July. That picture belongs on the sidebar along with the Requiem.

spd rdr said...

Every day that we celebrate our freedoms we must also acknowledge those that have laid down their lives so that we can cook hot dogs and hamburgers at our leisure, attend the church of our choice, and marvel at fireworks displays without fear of repression. Our fathers and brothers gave us the right to speak our minds forthrightly. No celebration is complete without including an appreciation of the bravest of our countrymen.

In other words, you are right, Portia.