APPRECIATION OF THE POEM

2.1 SONG OF THE OPEN ROAD

'Song of the Open Road' is an inspirational poem with a message of freedom and opportunity.
This poem is free verse. The poem ends on an optimistic note. Walt Whitman is an American
poet. He was known as a poet, essayist, journalist, and teacher by trade. In the, Title —"Song
of the Open Road", the poet celebrates the open road—its freedom, its challenges, its views
about it, and its voyagers. This poem is a celebration, much like any song. This title is apt.

Freedom, joy and optimism are the major themes of this poem. Throughout the poem, the
poet encourages readers to be true to themselves and live free lives. Although his life is not
free from obligations and troubles, he encourages everyone to live their dreams, leaving the
obstacles behind. He understands that the key to happiness is to be true to his ideals, his
soul, and his intelligence.
The style of the poem is simple and natural. The language is very simple and
straightforward. The poet has used different figures of speech like- Alliteration, Metaphor,
Repetition, Paradox etc.
As Free Verse gives greater freedom for choosing words and conveying their meanings to
readers, it is free from the artificiality of a typical poetic expression. This technique is
commonly used in modern poetry.
The message of positivity and optimism is spread through the poem. Life is full of
challenges. We must face the difficulties and overcome them. You should never lose your
confidence in any situation. The message of hope - There are so many opportunities in our
life we have to take those opportunities and build our life. There are so many ways/ roads in
front of you. Select one of them and go forward.
I am really inspired by reading this poem. I have learnt from this poem that- 'Freedom joy
and optimism are the major parts of our life'. You should not give up under any
circumstances. The effort is essential to success, not to give up. Lastly, I understand that God
helps them. who help themselves.