Song of the Open Road, 12th English Poem,Explanation,

Song of the Open Road

Walt Whitman (1819 - 1892)

The most influential poet in the American canon was essayist and journalist. He was often called the father of ‘free verse’. He breaks the boundaries of poetic form. He also used unusual images and symbols in his poetry to glorify the nature and human life.

Afoot and light-hearted I take to the open road,Healthy, free, the world before me,

The long brown path before me leading wherever I choose.”

The poet starts his journey on foot (afoot) and he is glad (lighthearted), not having any burden on his mind. He is glad to take the open road which goes to the healthy and free world, the road is not the road to travel but this is the road of life. The healthy world is the world where all human values are respected and followed by all. And the free world shows that the value of liberty as well as the people who are using the freedom not only for their own self but for the welfare the humanity. He thinks this world is his.

And the long brown path is the path which will take him to wherever he wants, wherever he chooses, this shows his optimism and healthy mind which is free to do many things.

Henceforth I ask not good-fortune; I myself am good-fortune,

Henceforth I whimper no more, postpone no more, need nothing,

Done with indoor complaints, libraries, querulous criticisms,

Strong and content I travel the open road.

The poet has very optimistic and positive approach the road of life. There is no feeling or fear of bad luck or negativity in his mind, so he says that he himself is enough to have his good fortune. Therefore he doesn’t complaint about anything he is happy to have, doesn’t postpone anything doesn’t need anything. The poet is bored of indoor complaints and the libraries (it shows intellectual environment around the poet). He is fed up of all the criticism made out of irritation. But our poet is so strong and firm, full of optimism and ready to go further on the open road that is the road of life.

The earth, that is sufficient,

I don’t want constellations nearer,

I know they are very well where they are,

I know they suffice for those who belong to them.

The earth is sufficient for the poet means the free world is enough for him where is will meet new and different people. He doesn’t want influential people who always criticize someone like the poem and try to use their influence over others. He knows that these influential people are now away from him, and the poet is happy to have this distance. He knows it better that these people suffice means work only for the people who are in their favour.  (May be this is the thing in the life of the poet when he was criticized by all influential people, and there he would have seen some partial treatment)  

(Still here I carry my old delicious burdens,

I carry them, men and women; I carry them with me wherever I go,

I swear it is impossible for me to get rid of them,

I’m filled with them, and I will fill them in return)

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In the last stanza the poet is talking about the old burdens which are very delicious means his sweet memories of the past and these memories are there in plenty. These are memories of men and women of his past life which gives him immense joy and happiness. He always cherishes these sweet memories wherever he goes. He thinks that it is impossible for him to get rid of these burdens throughout his life. At the end he says that these people or memories have given him a lot and he promises that he will give them in return a lot.