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Comment 6 of 6, added on March 29th, 2009 at 12:12 PM.
i think the poem is about longing to be with similar people. the live-oak
is exemplary because despite its loneliness it still stands strong
continuing to grow through the ages. whitman is saying, he couldn't be
alone. he wouldn't be satisfied with loneliness. it's the human condition.
i think the poem is beautiful, and valid today as much as it was valid in
the 19th century when he wrote it.
yakayaka from United States
Comment 5 of 6, added on February 5th, 2006 at 6:35 PM.
I think this poem may have some hidden meaning. The poem possibly hints at
his longing for his male partner. "Yet it remains...it makes me think of
manly love;"
Caitlin from United States
Comment 4 of 6, added on October 31st, 2005 at 4:44 PM.
I can instantly relate to WW. I watch elderly, single people all day and
wonder how they could go on without a dear friend/companion. I do go on but
I am not strong and boasting like these oaks. We are all growing and some
without aching loneliness. However, that's not me.
Sharh11 from United States
Comment 3 of 6, added on October 5th, 2005 at 8:16 PM.
I think he is thinking of friends that he misses and how lonely he feels
and realizes that he needs friends to be happy. Unlike the tree that has
all it needs in itself.
Debbie from United States
Comment 2 of 6, added on September 14th, 2005 at 10:09 PM.
I think that Whitman is saying that in spite of the opposition that he was
facing as a poet, he was still continuing to grow.
Joel from United States
Comment 1 of 6, added on June 16th, 2005 at 4:28 PM.
I think this poem is really about the respect he has for the tree to go on
living without "a friend, a lover near" and I wonder if he was talking of
the slaves he saw when he was working in New Orleans
Reed from United States
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i think the poem is about longing to be with similar people. the live-oak
is exemplary because despite its loneliness it still stands strong
continuing to grow through the ages. whitman is saying, he couldn't be
alone. he wouldn't be satisfied with loneliness. it's the human condition.
i think the poem is beautiful, and valid today as much as it was valid in
the 19th century when he wrote it.
yakayaka from United States