This is my Feb 18 work.

After reading “I Sing the Body Electric” and “From Pent up Aching Rivers” I was just struck with how openly and deeply Whitman wanted to love. From the most casual of touches, to sex, to lying with another, to simple proximity, Whitman relishes these connections. To touch one’s body is to touch their soul and love it. That sentiment brought me much warmth on these cold, gloomy days we’ve been having.

Then I read the supplemental piece by Murison and while I loved the insight and analysis into the reactions and implications of Whitman’s depictions of white female heterosexuality, I couldn’t help but get stuck on the revelation of how often motherhood is brought up by Whitman. Regarding how motherhood is depicted in “Children of Adam,” Murison points to an insight from Vivian Pollak stating that “Whitman is using maternity as a trope for sexual normality.”  I think this is a good point; often, and especially then,  women are only thought of as mothers or their life is headed towards motherhood, so by including this at the end of passages about female sexuality it can help normalize it: sex is the means by which this occurs and this can be pleasurable for both parties (shocking right?). Now this has a whole tizzy of offshoots that could be discussed if we dive deeper into it (which we totally can and should) BUT honestly I’m going to keep it simple (when is it ever though?) and just ask…what is it with Whitman and mothers?? I don’t think there is poem I have read yet by him in which Mothers aren’t mentioned!! Why is motherhood something he evokes so often? Is it the cyclical nature of it? I don’t think he has mommy issues considering this is said in his biography we read…

“There was a special affectional bond between Whitman and his mother, and the long correspondence between them records a kind of partnership in attempting to deal with the family crises that mounted over the years”

Perhaps there lies the answer? What do you guys think?

What is it with Whitman and Mothers??
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