Reflection on Whitman's poetry

"I have heard what the talkers were talking...the talk of the beginning and end,

But I do not talk of the beginning or the end.

There was never any more inception than there is now,

Nor any more youth or age than there is now;

And will never be any more perfection than there is now,

Nor any more heaven or hell than there is now" (Whitman,  Song of Myself Part III)

The selection of poetry I read by Whitman shows a lot of the writer's character: he is religious (he speaks of God, and of heaven and hell), optimistic (emphasizes living in the present), and adores all objects in this reality (especially the human body). His view of America is that the country works so hard, too hard, and that everyone is valiantly pushing on and on without stopping to "smell the roses". As Americans, we can gain perspective on our lives by thinking about this, and making sure to enjoy life as we live it, instead of chugging on like a machine. Whitman also encourages the reader to stop talking "of the beginning and end" because there is no "more youth or age than there is now". This carpe diem - esque philosophy is also related to his view of the world: all Objects are beautiful, why not enjoy them while we can? Whitman speaks of the relationship between Man and his environment as being potentially in peaceful coexistence, when we are not bustling through our lives like madmen at least. He emphasizes the beauty in our world that we pass by when we don't stop to appreciate life. He also speaks highly of the human body; the body is portrayed as a beautiful physical gift that we possess that we should enjoy as well!