Analysis of Says

Walt Whitman 1819 (West Hills) – 1892 (Camden)




   I SAY whatever tastes sweet to the most perfect person, that is
         finally right.

I say nourish a great intellect, a great brain;
   If I have said anything to the contrary, I hereby retract it.

I say man shall not hold property in man;
   I say the least developed person on earth is just as important and
         sacred to himself or herself, as the most developed person is
         to himself or herself.

I say where liberty draws not the blood out of slavery, there slavery
         draws the blood out of liberty,
   I say the word of the good old cause in These States, and resound it
         hence over the world.

I say the human shape or face is so great, it must never be made
         ridiculous;
   I say for ornaments nothing outre can be allowed,
   And that anything is most beautiful without ornament,              10
   And that exaggerations will be sternly revenged in your own
         physiology, and in other persons' physiology also;
   And I say that clean-shaped children can be jetted and conceived only
         where natural forms prevail in public, and the human face and
         form are never caricatured;
   And I say that genius need never more be turned to romances,
   (For facts properly told, how mean appear all romances.)

I say the word of lands fearing nothing--I will have no other land;
   I say discuss all and expose all--I am for every topic openly;
   I say there can be no salvation for These States without innovators--
         without free tongues, and ears willing to hear the tongues;
   And I announce as a glory of These States, that they respectfully
         listen to propositions, reforms, fresh views and doctrines,
         from successions of men and women,
   Each age with its own growth.

I have said many times that materials and the Soul are great, and
         that all depends on physique;                                20
   Now I reverse what I said, and affirm that all depends on the
         æsthetic or intellectual,
   And that criticism is great--and that refinement is greatest of all;
   And I affirm now that the mind governs--and that all depends on the
         mind.

With one man or woman--(no matter which one--I even pick out the
         lowest,)
   With him or her I now illustrate the whole law;
   I say that every right, in politics or what-not, shall be eligible to
         that one man or woman, on the same terms as any.


Scheme AX XB XCAX DDBX XXXXXXDCXAA XDXXDXXX CXEXXEX EXXXD
Poetic Form
Metre 111011101011011 1001 11100110011 11111010100101011 11111110001 110101010111110100 10101101101010101 101101 1111001101111001100 10111100 110110111011011 11001 11010111111111011 0100 1111001011101 01101110001100 01001011101011 0100001010010010 01111110111000110 1100101010001010 11100100 0111101101111010 11100111011010 11011110101111101 11011001111110010100 11111101011101100 011101101101 01011010111110100 1010100111010 1111010 111111 11110110100001110 1101101 1101111001110110 110100 01100110101011011 01011101100110110 1 11111011011110110 10 11101110011 11110010101111110001 1111101011110
Closest metre Iambic heptameter
Characters 2,413
Words 399
Sentences 9
Stanzas 8
Stanza Lengths 2, 2, 4, 4, 11, 8, 7, 5
Lines Amount 43
Letters per line (avg) 40
Words per line (avg) 10
Letters per stanza (avg) 214
Words per stanza (avg) 55
Font size:
 

Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on April 19, 2023

1:59 min read
80

Walt Whitman

Walter "Walt" Whitman was an American poet, essayist and journalist. more…

All Walt Whitman poems | Walt Whitman Books

35 fans

Discuss this Walt Whitman poem analysis with the community:

0 Comments

    Citation

    Use the citation below to add this poem analysis to your bibliography:

    Style:MLAChicagoAPA

    "Says" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 1 Jun 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/38131/says>.

    Become a member!

    Join our community of poets and poetry lovers to share your work and offer feedback and encouragement to writers all over the world!

    June 2024

    Poetry Contest

    Join our monthly contest for an opportunity to win cash prizes and attain global acclaim for your talent.
    29
    days
    23
    hours
    38
    minutes

    Special Program

    Earn Rewards!

    Unlock exciting rewards such as a free mug and free contest pass by commenting on fellow members' poems today!

    Browse Poetry.com

    Quiz

    Are you a poetry master?

    »
    Who wrote the poem "No Man Is An Island"?
    A Robert Browning
    B John Donne
    C Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
    D Ezra Pound