Entry 46: Work Songs

Look at the poem “I Hear America Singing” by Walt Whitman (Text p. 365) in which Whitman celebrates the American enterprise, in all its forms, through the varied songs of men and women who take pride in their occupations. Why do you think a poet who celebrates America would focus on work songs? List a few of the jobs you would expect to be celebrated in an American poem today? Would they be the same or different from jobs celebrated in Taiwan? Elsewhere?

• A poet who celebrates America, one like Walt Whitman, would focus on work songs and use it as a topic because the poet knows that work during that period of American life is the basis of everyday life. To the Americans in that time period, working is important, essential, and necessary because it is the thing that provides the Americans a living (with the food that they grow). Also, by writing about work, the poet will be able to convey to others the hardworking quality and characteristic of the American society.
• In American poems, I believe that the most celebrated topics are usually about idols and stars. In other words, famous people. Why? Because people like to see things about the idols and stars that they admire. Sometimes famous athletes will also be used as a topic because of the same reason - they are popular. One of recent popular athlete that is discussed all over the world is Jeremy Lin, an American of Taiwanese decent who is in the NBA and is starting to gain popularity because of his ability to lead the team and eventually win a game that seems as if there was no hope. This example can also be used in Taiwan (because Jeremy Lin is of Taiwanese descent and everyone feels proud of him). Basically, poem topics in Taiwan is very similar to the ones that might be used in America - idols and stars. Sometimes both countries will use topics about daily life because that's what people care about.