Appreciation of the poem Song of the Open Road
- About the poem/poet and title
- The theme/ gist of the poem
- Poetic style/language / poetic devices
- Special features
- Message/values/morals in the poem
- Your opinion
·About the poem/poet and title
‘Song of the Open Road ‘ is an inspirational and beautiful poem written by renowned American poet Walt Whitman. He is also called ‘ The Father of Free Verse ‘. This poem is taken from one of his famous poetry collections ‘Leaves of Grass’. The title of the poem is very apt and symbolic and suggests freedom.
The theme/ gist of the poem
The theme of the poem is freedom. The word ‘free’ here means being able to do anything he/she wants to do. The poet encourages the readers to continue their journey despite troubles in life. The poet wants to go out from all restrictions.
Poetic style/language / poetic devices
The poem contains four stanzas. The poem is written in free verse. The language of the poem is simple and effective. The poem is a dramatic monologue. There are many poetic devices used in the poem such as paradox, transferred epithet, repetition and metaphor.
Special features
The poem is a dramatic monologue. The poet himself is the narrator or speaker. The poet has put the last stanza in a bracket. It reflects the poet’s own struggle in his journey of life.
Message/values/morals in the poem
The poem gives us an inspirational message and teaches us to live a happy and optimistic life. We should believe in ourselves. Don’t expect anything from anyone.
Your opinion
This is an inspirational poem. It inspires us to explore the world by using our abilities. We should take our life positively without any complaints or regrets. The poet advises us to be happy with a positive attitude towards life.