Showing posts with label Whitman. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Whitman. Show all posts

Friday, January 8, 2010

O Captain! My Captain

O CAPTAIN! MY CAPTAIN!

by: Walt Whitman (1819-1892)

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.

O Captain! my Captain! rise up and hear the bells;
Rise up -- for you the flag is flung -- for you the bugle trills,
For you bouquets and ribbon'd wreaths -- for you the shores a-crowding,
For you they call, the swaying mass, their eager faces turning;
Here Captain! dear father!
This arm beneath your head!
It is some dream that on the deck,
You've fallen cold and dead.

My Captain does not answer, his lips are pale and still,
My father does not feel my arm, he has no pulse nor will,
The ship is anchor'd safe and sound, its voyage closed and done,
From fearful trip the victor ship comes in with object won;
Exult O shores, and ring O bells!
But I with mournful tread,
Walk the deck my Captain lies,
Fallen cold and dead.

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Comedic and Tragic poems

Hey DC folks,
Unfortunately, I've been too busy to seriously read anything, much less a book on the book list, so if you would, please skip my turn. Hopefully next time around I will have read something to post on.
Meanwhile, I have two short poems for you.

How To Tell the Wild Animals
by Carolyn Wells

If ever you should go by chance
To jungles in the East,
And if there should to you advance,
A large and tawny beast,
If he roars at you are you're dyin'
You'll know it is the Asian Lion.

Or if some time when roaming round,
A noble wild beast greets you,
With black stripes on a yellow ground,
Just notice if he eats you.
This simple rule may help you learn
The Bengal Tiger to discern.

If strolling forth, a beast you view,
Whose hide with spots is peppered,
As soon as he has lept on you,
You'll know it is the Leopard.
'Twill do no good to roar with pain,
He'll only lep and lep again.

Though to distinguish beasts of prey
A novice might nonplus,
The Crocodiles you always may
Tell from Hyenas thus:
Hyenas come with merry smiles;
But if they weep, they're Crocodiles.

And the second:

Oh Captain! My Captain!
by Walt Whitman

Oh 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! The bleeding drops of red,
Where on the deck my captain lies,
Fallen cold and dead.

Oh Captain! my Captain! Rise up, and hear the bells;
Rise up -- for you the flag is flung -- for you the bugle trills;
For you bouquets and ribbon'd wreaths -- for you the shores a-crowding;
For you they call, the swaying mass, their eager faces turning;
Here Captain, dear Father! This arm beneath your head,
It is some dream that on the deck,
You've fallen cold and dead.

My Captain does not answer, his lips are cold and still;
My Father does not feel my arm, he has no pulse nor will;
The ship is anchor'd safe and sound, its voyage closed and done;
From fearful trip, the victor ship, comes in with object done;
Exult, O shores, and ring, O bells!
But I with mournful tread,
Walk the deck my Captain lies,
Fallen cold and dead.