by Christine Pettaway

Created on: August 02, 2008   Last Updated: December 08, 2010

Walt Whitman had a unique way with words. His free verse style was not quickly accepted by others in the industry. However, he is still praised today for his work. "I Hear America Singing" is a fine example of his different techniques.

In this poem, he explores repetition which creates a melody of its own. The word 'singing' appears in all but six lines. This word is very cheerful and light. It gives the reader a sense of happiness. It creates a refreshing mood as it quickly takes you through each setting. It is alive with visuals. It conjures up a small town in the reader's mind, giving him or her a taste of what daily life was like for specific trades and genders. He takes the reader around this town to sample each song, but in the end they all meld together. "Sing with open mouths their strong melodious songs."

Whitman also creates a level of equality by describing each person singing their own song while doing daily tasks. They may represent different social statuses, but the fact that they are all singing puts them on the same plane. These are tasks that could seem somewhat dull to an observer, but they are something cherished by those performing them .

However, the first line prepares you to visualize the variety of songs. Through "I hear America singing, the varied carols I hear" not only does one get the songs are all different, but the people who are singing them are different, too. America is known as the melting pot with a variety of nationalities and beliefs. In this poem, Whitman makes it seem blissful to have all the different songs and people in one place.

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