31st May 1819 – Walt Whitman’s Birthday

 

 

Carpe_DiemWalt Whitman (1819-1892) was an American poet, essayist, and journalist, often called the father of free verse. His poetry celebrated modern life and took on subjects considered taboo at the time: particularly his poetry collection “Leaves of Grass”, which was described as obscene for its overt sexuality.

The following poem “Carpe Diem” is generally attributed to him (although I am not so sure of it).
Nevertheless I decided to share it because I think it is an inspirational poem.

NB:  I found some unclear words or inaccuracies that I tried to translate into Italian as well as I could.

Carpe Diem (Seize the Day)

Do not let the day end without having grown a bit, without being happy,
without having risen your dreams.
Do not let overcome by disappointment.
Do not let anyone you remove the right to express yourself,
which is almost a duty.
Do not forsake the yearning to make your life something special.
Be sure to believe that words and poetry it can change the world.
Whatever happens, our essence is intact.
We are beings full of passion. Life is desert and oasis.
We breakdowns, hurts us, teaches us, makes us protagonists of our own history.
Although the wind blow against the powerful work continues:
You can make a stanza. Never stop dreaming, because in a dream, man is free.
Do not fall into the worst mistakes: the silence.
Most live in a dreadful silence. Do not resign escape.
“Issued by my screams roofs of this world,” says the poet.
Rate the beauty of the simple things.
You can make beautiful poetry on little things, but we cannot row against ourselves.
That transforms life into hell.
Enjoy the panic that leads you have life ahead. Live intensely, without mediocrity.
Think that you are the future and facing the task with pride and without fear.
Learn from those who can teach you. The experiences of those who preceded us in our “Dead poets”, help you walk through life.
Today’s society is us “poets alive.” Do not let life pass you live without that.

 

Cogli il giorno

Non lasciare che la giornata termini senza essere cresciuto un po’,
senza essere stato felice, senza aver elevato i tuoi sogni.
Non lasciarti sopraffare dalla delusione.
Non permettere a nessuno di negarti il diritto di esprimerti – che è quasi un dovere.
Non abbandonare il desiderio di rendere la tua vita speciale
Assicurati di credere che le parole e la poesia possano cambiare il mondo.
Qualunque cosa accada, la nostra essenza è intatta.
Siamo esseri pieni di passione. La vita è deserto e oasi;
ci abbatte, ci ferisce, ci insegna, ci rende protagonisti della nostra storia.
Anche se il vento soffia contro, il potente lavoro continua:
e tu puoi comporre una strofa. Non smettere mai di sognare, perché nei sogni l’uomo è libero;
non cadere per il peggiore degli errori: il silenzio.
Molti di noi vivono in un silenzio terribile. Non rinunciare alla fuga
“Emerso dalle mie grida ricopre questo mondo” dice il poeta
Valorizza la bellezza delle cose semplici:
puoi fare poesia stupenda sulle piccole cose, ma non si può remare contro noi stessi.
Questo trasforma la tua vita in un inferno.
Godi la frenesia che ti porta ad avere una vita davanti a te. Vivi intensamente senza mediocrità.
Pensa che sei il futuro e stai affrontando il compito con orgoglio e senza paura.
Impara da quelli che possono insegnarti. Le esperienze di chi ci ha preceduto nei nostri “poeti defunti” ti aiutino a camminare nella vita.
La società, oggi, siamo noi “poeti vivi”.
Non permettere che la vita passi senza aver vissuto!
(L.Z.)

53 thoughts on “31st May 1819 – Walt Whitman’s Birthday”

  1. Walt Whitman also served as a nurse during the American Civil War. He was a homosexual. An Aids clinic in Washington, DC is named after him–the Whitman Walker Clinic. There are quotes from his poetry on the walls of the Dupont Circle Metro Station in downtown DC. Thanks for sharing his poetry with us. My favorite Whitman poem is about the death of Abraham Lincoln.
    O Captain! my Captain! our fearful trip is done,
    The ship has weather’d every rack, the prize we sought is won,
    The port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting,
    While follow eyes the steady keel, the vessel grim and daring;
    But O heart! heart! heart!
    O the bleeding drops of red,
    Where on the deck my Captain lies,
    Fallen cold and dead.

    Liked by 4 people

  2. È un magnifico poema di un grande poeta come Whitman. Questi sono i versi che ci portano a combattere per i nostri sogni. Hai fatto una scelta eccellente per concludere la settimana con una buona lettura.

    Liked by 4 people

      1. Molto! Avevo già sentito più volte parlare di questo autore (la prima volta quando è uscito il film L’attimo Fuggente), ma non ho mai approfondito. Adesso, grazie anche al tuo stimolo, la sua raccolta Foglie d’Erba sarà uno dei miei prossimi acquisti quindi … grazie 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

  8. ottima scelta luisa davvero, ma ancora di Withman che mi piace tanto:
    -O Capitano! mio Capitano! il nostro viaggio tremendo è finito,
    La nave ha superato ogni tempesta, l’ambito premio è vinto,
    Il porto è vicino, odo le campane, il popolo è esultante,
    Gli occhi seguono la solida chiglia, l’audace e altero vascello;
    Ma o cuore! cuore! cuore!
    O rosse gocce sanguinanti sul ponte
    Dove è disteso il mio Capitano
    Caduto morto, freddato.-
    Mi hanno sempre emozionato questi versi…
    ciauz baciottoli

    Liked by 1 person

  11. 200 years, and yet, Whitman’s words could have been written to-day.
    Carpe diem too for that matter. Who was that? Seneca? Lucrèce? Hmmm.
    Ok. Horatio… (Need to get back to my classics)
    Buona sera Signorina. 😉

    Liked by 1 person

  13. Whitman is genius. I believe Carpe Diem has been misattributed to him. Here is one of my favorites.

    O Me! O Life!
    BY WALT WHITMAN
    Oh me! Oh life! of the questions of these recurring,
    Of the endless trains of the faithless, of cities fill’d with the foolish,
    Of myself forever reproaching myself, (for who more foolish than I, and who more faithless?)
    Of eyes that vainly crave the light, of the objects mean, of the struggle ever renew’d,
    Of the poor results of all, of the plodding and sordid crowds I see around me,
    Of the empty and useless years of the rest, with the rest me intertwined,
    The question, O me! so sad, recurring—What good amid these, O me, O life?

    Answer.
    That you are here—that life exists and identity,
    That the powerful play goes on, and you may contribute a verse.

    Liked by 1 person

      5. Hey luisa are you french i.e. are u from France, I saw posts related to Napoleon at your blog. I would like to tell you that currently I am studying french revolution in history and I find french revolution very interesting.

        Liked by 2 people

  16. Please, Luisa, for the upcoming Whitman birthday, please don’t do a disservice to his memory and be sure to only publish his poetry. Someone in the comments included one of his poems. Do you seriously think that poem and the one you quote were written by the same author?

    Like

      1. You had the rest of the year to inspire people with those words. I sincerely hope this year you can find words that you are certain are Whitman’s to inspire people on his birthday.

        Like

  17. Whitman family moved to Brooklyn in May, and sister Hannah Louisa Whitman was born in November (d. 1908). Over the next few years the family moved often and resided in several rented or owned properties.

    Like

Leave a comment