Walt Whitman on the ecstatic importance of this life

“Whoever you are! motion and reflection are especially for you,
The divine ship sails the divine sea for you.
Whoever you are! you are he or she for whom the earth is solid or liquid,
You are he or she for whom the sun and moon hang in the sky,
For none more than you are the present and the past,
For none more than you is immortality.”
–Walt Whitman, “A Song of the Rolling Earth” (1856)

Posted by | Comments (2)  | October 7, 2003
Category: Travel Quote of the Day


2 Responses to “Walt Whitman on the ecstatic importance of this life”

  1. Jen Leo Says:

    Excellent inspiration. As you know Rolf, I also like Song of the Open Road.
    https://www.bartleby.com/142/82.html

    I think I was still in high school, or quite possibly college, when I told myself I was going to memorize the whole thing and say it to my groom at my wedding. Good grief! Such fantasies for young thing.

  2. manya Says:

    aaaahhh…. in me finally stirs a renewing belief that i can live as i desire. transformative discontent. honour that which is! rolf, thank you so much for sharing on this site, truly. and dear goddess, lavinia, whever you are, i promise me, to shed the line “I’m living vicariously through you” from my dialogue — this, quite literally, has become my famous last line, my refrain, my segue to another’s enchanting travel story, or song or article/essay. this sweet life.. so short it is. Live, indeed! please… carry on!…