Poetry Friday: "I Shout, I Sing" for National Pride Month

Matt Forrest Esenwine

Jun 2

A few weeks ago I was wondering what to share here to kick off the month of June, and what should I discover but a budding poet friend of mine who had written a golden shovel, of all things!

(Golden shovels are poems that take a line from another poem or book and use each of the words in that line as the end words to each line of the new poem.)

Anyway, my friend had written their poem as a form of empowerment, as a way of feeling positive in the face of adversity. I asked them if they'd mind if I posted it here, and they agreed, as long as I kept their name secret. I didn't question, I simply happily obliged.

I Shout, I Sing (golden shovel from Whitman's 'I Sing the Body Electric')

Some show, some flow, some hide their pride; not I,
no, not I - I shout! I raise my voice and sing!
Declare it to the world – the hometowns, downtowns, the
little spaces in-between – this is my dream, my body, my life –
a right to be part of the race of humanity, no vanity, this is my song, strong and electric!

- Anon. 6-2-22

It's interesting to note that Whitman's poem, which was originally never titled and originally never even had the line "I sing the body electric" in it - electricity really wasn't a very common thing at the time, you see - is about loving one's body and loving the human form itself, in all its various iterations. I told my friend I thought it was a perfect poem to use for a golden shovel! (You can read Whitman's poem HERE)

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While we're on the subject of famous classic poets, be sure to head on over to Karen Edmisten's blog, where she is hosting today's complete Poetry Friday roundup with Yeats' ever-popular "The Lake Isle of Innisfree." Have a wonderful weekend!

*^{Be sure to check out all the cool new picture books arriving this year from my PB22Peekaboo partners!}*

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I continue adding to my "Wit & Wordplay" videos ! These videos were created for parents and educators (along with their kids) to learn how to write poetry, appreciate it, and have fun with it. From alliteration and iambs to free verse and spine poetry, I'm pretty sure there's something in these videos you'll find surprising! You can view them all on my YouTube channel, and if you have young kids looking for something to keep busy with, I also have several downloadable activity sheets at my website.

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