On May 31,2019, in honor of Walt Whitman’s 200th birthday, libraries and English departments around the country hosted marathon readings of his collection of poems, Leaves of Grass.[1] (Marathon is the word for it, as the poem “Song of Myself” alone takes about two hours to read aloud.) Back in my hometown, the public library hosted one of these readings, and many friends of mine, including former classmates, English teachers, and friend of the blog, The Bethlehem Gadfly,[2] were among those who took turns to read his grounded, visceral words about the human experience and his connection to humanity… and to the earth… and to the universe.
Walt’s poetic style was very earthy, even vulgar, for the time. He made references to sexuality and body parts, much to the shock and dismay of many readers who expected some level of propriety from their poets. He styled himself not with three full names (Henry David Thoreau, Ralph Waldo Emerson, etc.), but simply as Walt Whitman. In the first edition of Leaves of Grass (which he published at age 36), his picture showed him looking more like a farmer than a gentleman.
Image credit: [3]
Literary Love
Uncle Walt, as we referred to him in my honors American lit class, is considered to be America’s first democratic poet, the father of free verse. In an article I recently read about him and his philosophy, a writer for The Atlantic says, “the free verse he adopts in his work reflects a newly naturalized and accessible poetic language. His overarching themes—the individual, the nation, the body, the soul, and everyday life and work—mirror the primary values of America’s founding. Then and now, his poetry is for everyone.”[4]
I was sad to miss the group readings last year on Walt’s birthday, particularly the one back home, but I downloaded a copy on Audible[5] to listen to on my own. As much as I love sitting down with a book, it really makes a difference hearing the words aloud. Furthermore, there is something special about reading poetry aloud with others. I still have very fond memories of high school when we went outside and sat in the grass to read “Song of Myself.” It was the Friday of prom weekend, and many students traditionally skipped school that day. I did too, but snuck onto campus just for English class. Even my mom ducked out of work (in a local University’s English department) to join us. I still remember the feeling of the warm sun on my face and the smell of the grass as I picked and examined individual blades from where we sat on the soccer field.
A few months after Walt’s birthday last year, I made an incredible discovery at one of our local bottle shops. While perusing a case of craft beer singles to create a mix-and-match six-pack, I came across a very plain, off-white label with a large Roman numeral I, and written below it was “Song of Myself.” The presentation was very Walt, though the beer’s existence in the first place was ironic, as he was such a proponent of temperance for much of his life. Nevertheless, this beer was brewed by one of my favorite breweries (Bell’s), and I have always been a sucker for clever beer names and marketing gimmicks. Yes, I would buy this Leaves of Grass-themed beer, even though it was an IPA (my least favorite style).
NB: I will say here and now that Bell’s makes great beer, but I probably would not buy as much of it as I do if they did not also make such fantastic references to literature and the arts. For example, Oberon (named after Shakespeare’s king of the fairies) is probably my favorite beer of theirs, and I make a point of buying myself a case every year in advance of Midsummer Night.
An Unexpected Party
Upon further research, I discovered that Bell’s was in fact making a series of seven beers, each inspired by a different Leaves of Grass poem, and that one of these beers would be released every two months, through May of 2020, just in time for my 36th birthday (just three days before his 201st). I had to make sure I collected all of these for the creation of a grand plan that was now quickly forming in my head: for my birthday, I would have a party at which my guests and I would sit in the grass and read these seven poems while drinking the corresponding beers.
I did not care if it was a sparsely-attended party – in fact, I expected it to be. I was pretty sure that the Venn diagram of Walt Whitman fans and craft beer fans in my social circles did not involve a lot of overlap. (My husband, for example, cannot stand Walt Whitman and even shared with me a high school essay he wrote in which he complained that Whitman was a “poseur” and that his poems took “almost no skill at all to write.”) I imagined – at best – three or four people would show up, with very few of them staying for the entire reading, which I estimated would take about three and a half to four hours to complete all seven poems. But ultimately, it was something I wanted to do, so I didn’t care if it was just me… and that’s a good thing, because along came COVID-19.
Indeed, at this point with Allegheny county at yellow-alert status, it was possible to have a very cautious gathering (up to 25), following all of the proper social distancing guidelines, but the logistics of such became complex and truly unnecessary when I considered the fact that I have family and friends who are immunocompromised and/or in high-risk groups for the virus. While I personally consider poetry to be life-sustaining, it is arguably not from a human physiological perspective, and I was not about to invite groups of people over to my house. I was disappointed after a year of lead-up, but recognize that many people are going through far worse right now.
So with seven cases of Leaves of Grass beer in my garage, I was set up for one heck of a birthday party with myself… but in a last-minute surprise, two very dear friends (who had known about my plan from the beginning) came over for a little socially-distanced poetry reading anyway! We sat in the grass, read from our own books, drank from our own bottles, and made it through three poems together. My heart was very full.
Although you will probably not be able to find any of the first five or six beers anywhere other than my house at this point, I can at least share the poems with you:
I: Song of Myself
Poem
Reading
Beer: German-Inspired American India Pale Ale, “Brewed to the season, this IPA is made with 100% German malt and hops, putting a European twist on a classic American style.”
II: The Prairie-Grass Dividing
Poem
Reading
Beer: Gose-Style Ale Brewed with Plum, Salt, & Coriander, “In homage to old-world agriculture, we’re pairing artisan heiroom grains with plum juice to create a tart flavor profile.”
III: O Captain! My Captain!
Poem
Reading
Beer: Black India-Style Pale Lager, “Brewed with Michigan-grown hops, this Black IPL may look like a Stout, but doesn’t drink like one. Floral, fruity and citrus notes are matched with the clean, crisp finish of a Lager.”
IV: To a Locomotive in Winter
Poem
Reading (read by Uncle Walt!)
Beer: Smoked Porter, “German smoked malt, chocolate malt and roasted malt work in harmony with carefully chosen hops for a smooth, smoky take on a classic style.”
V: Song of the Open Road
Poem
Reading
Beer: Winter Warmer Ale, “A sipper that is nice and malty with notes of baked bread, brown sugar, and dark fruit. A perfect winter companion to help keep you warm and toasty.”
VI: Salut au Monde!
Poem
Reading (first half only)
Beer: Unfiltered Rustic Lager, “This is our take on a German-style Kellerbier. Rustic grains, including pilsen malt and maize, offer classic bready notes and a light haze. Herbal, noble hops and tangy rye malt add a light spiciness.”
VII: Spontaneous Me
Poem
Reading
Beer: Wild American Ale, “Inspired directly by nature, this Wild American Ale is fermented with wild yeast harvested from the Bell’s Beer Garden to evoke tart, earthy and funky tasting notes.”
~
It’s been a joy for me to go back and reread some of these poems. “Song of Myself” and “Salut au Monde!” especially have helped me to regain a sense of connection with the rest of humanity, despite the current distance and turmoil. I hope you, dear reader, are managing to get by as best as you can in these difficult times.
Happy birthday, Uncle Walt! And happy birthday to all May babies everywhere!
Thanks for reading – cheers!
[1] https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27494.Leaves_of_Grass
[2] https://thebethlehemgadfly.com/
[3] https://www.odt.co.nz/lifestyle/magazine/dunedin-keeping-poet-alive
[4] https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2016/12/why-walt-whitman-called-the-america-the-greatest-poem/510932/
[5] https://www.audible.com/pd/Leaves-of-Grass-Audiobook/B0727YTYJ1?qid=1590841963&sr=1-1&ref=a_search_c3_lProduct_1_1&pf_rd_p=e81b7c27-6880-467a-b5a7-13cef5d729fe&pf_rd_r=B5386BJW271RE8H0CFB8
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