"Excelsior"

WHO has gone farthest? For lo! have not I gone farther?
And who has been just? For I would be the most just person of the
earth;
And who most cautious? For I would be more cautious;
And who has been happiest? O I think it is I! I think no one was ever
happier than I;
And who has lavish’d all? For I lavish constantly the best I have;
And who has been firmest? For I would be firmer;
And who proudest? For I think I have reason to be the proudest son
alive—for I am thesonof the brawny and tall-topt city;
And who has been bold and true? For I would be the boldest and truest
being of theuniverse;
And who benevolent? For I would show more benevolence than all the
rest;
And who has projected beautiful words through the longest time? Have
I not outvied him?have I not said the words that shall stretch
through longer time?
And who has receiv’d the love of the most friends? For I know what it
is to receive the passionate love of many friends;
And who possesses a perfect and enamour’d body? For I do not believe
any one possesses a more perfect or enamour’d body than mine;
And who thinks the amplest thoughts? For I will surround those
thoughts;
And who has made hymns fit for the earth? For I am mad with devouring
extasy to make joyous hymns for the whole earth!


Analysis:


This poem is called “Excelsior”. One of several meanings of the word excelsior is “still higher, ever upward”. In fact, this poem is pushing not only the author but also all the readers, to think better about theirselves, to be positive and exploit our full potential. This poem can be considered as a “questionnaire”, in which several questions are proposed to both the readers and the author itself. They vary from simple ones “who most cautious” (l.4) to more complex ones such as “who think the amplest thoughts?” (l.22). The repetition of “and who” is an anaphora, that helps the reader both to remember the poem but also gives musicality and rhythm to it. “Excelsior” is therefore asking several questions to the people reading it. The answers have always “I”, showing that they aren’t restricted to one person specifically, but to all who read. Another important detail is that the questions start simple and then increase in importance, arriving to the most important ones “Who thinks the amplest thoughts?” (l.22) and “Who has made hymns fit for the earth?” (l.24). These are essential questions that relate back to the author. He, in fact, wrote joyous hymns for the whole earth. In this poem, as in “To the East and to the West”, the author is dreaming and hoping for a happy world, that is moving higher, ever upward.

http://www.online-literature.com/walt-whitman/leaves-of-grass/264/