I Hear America Singing by Walt Whitman

Full Text

I hear America singing, the varied carols I hear,
Those of mechanics, each one singing his as it should be blithe and strong,
The carpenter singing his as he measures his plank or beam,
The mason singing his as he makes ready for work, or leaves off work,
The boatman singing what belongs to him in his boat, the deckhand singing on the steamboat deck,
The shoemaker singing as he sits on his bench, the hatter singing as he stands,
The wood-cutter's song, the ploughboy's on his way in the morning, or at noon intermission or at sundown,
The delicious singing of the mother, or of the young wife at work, or of the girl sewing or washing,
Each singing what belongs to him or her and to none else,
The day what belongs to the day—at night the party of young fellows, robust, friendly,
Singing with open mouths their strong melodious songs.

Overview

Whitman celebrates democratic labor by turning everyday work into a national chorus of individual voices.

Line-by-Line Analysis

Lines 1-6

The speaker catalogues workers whose songs represent pride in craft and labor.

Lines 7-11

Domestic and communal voices join the chorus, showing a broad, inclusive vision of America.

Themes

• Democracy
• Labor
• Individualism
• Community
• Song

Literary Devices

Catalog

mechanics... carpenter... mason... — Lists create rhythm and inclusiveness.

Metaphor

America singing — The nation becomes a choir of workers.

Historical Context

Whitman’s mid-19th-century America celebrated work and expansion; the poem echoes that optimism and egalitarianism.