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Welcome to Celebrate Poe - episode 395 - Finding a Home, Part One

Welcome back Walt. That's hard for me to get used to. I'd rather call you Mr. Whitman out of respect, but if you prefer the familiar Walt understand.

Thank you George. Remember that even my family even changed my name from Walter to Walt.

Then the name Walt it is. First let me ask about your writing - what style do you say you used?

Ah George, I would like to think that my writing is direct and even conversational. I consider my writing to be successful if I have addressed readers as if they are close friends, often using the first person and speaking with bold, unapologetic intimacy.

I have noted that your language stresses democratic ideals and is very inclusive.

Yes, George. I must admit that I saw myself as the voice of democracy, embracing all people and experiences. I attempted to construct language thatis inclusive, non-discriminatory, and celebrates diversity - to express my writing with a sense of openness and acceptance, inviting all listeners to feel part of the conversation.

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Welcome to Celebrate Poe - where - and who knows - maybe next month is also about Walt Whitman. This is episode 394 - Simplicity.

In the past few episodes, this podcast has dealt with some very complex issues such as slavery, but in this episode I would like to talk with Mr. Whitman about something that was central to his upbringing, and that quality was simplicity.

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Welcome to Celebrate Whitman. My name is George Bartley. This is episode 393 - Schoolteaching Years

When we left Walt in the previous episode, it seemed that his future career seemed set in the newspaper and printing trades - he saw the ability to print text that brought about images and emotions in the minds of other people to be almost magical. This was finally a vocation that he wanted to pursue.

Unfortunately, two of New York City’s worst fires destroyed the major printing and business centers of the city. And New York, formerly a place of growth, suffered a dismal financial climate.

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Welcome to Celebrate Whitman. My name is George Bartley, and this episode 392 I Sing The Body Electric

In the previous episode, Celebrate Whitman dealt with the artist’s three months in New Orleans. I had planned to talk with Mr. Whitman about his perceptions of the slave markets there, but it turned our to be more than enough for an episode all itself. So in this episode, I would like to talk with the ghost of Mr. Whitman about some of the writer’s complex feelings about slavery.

But first - a little bit about slavery in New Orleans in the state of Louisiana.

Now slavery was introduced in Louisiana by French colonists in 1706. And Louisiana was to experience slavery under several colonial powers, including the French, Spanish, and briefly by the French again, before becoming part of the United States in 1803.

Greetings, Mr. Bartley.

Hello, Mr. Whitman.

In this episode, I want to talk about some of your observations regarding slavery in Louisiana.

Ah yes, Mr. Bartley - I had never experienced so much slavery around me until my three months in Louisiana. And I must admit that the proliferation of slavery all around me had a profound impact on my views and future writings about slavery. I witnessed slave auctions firsthand and kept an advertisement for one as a "reminder" and "warning" for decades after. The large presence of enslaved people and the realities of slavery focused my attention on the themes of slavery and freedom in a way that my previous environment in New York had not.

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Welcome to Celebrate Whitman - My name is George Bartley, and this is episode 391 Sojourn in the South.

Greetings,

Hello, Mr. Whitman.

As a Youth, you worked in the printing industry in New York at the Eagle - a connection that lasted throughout 1847. But, as I understand it, you made an extremely memorable shift. Could you tell us about it in your own words?

Certainly, - Now remember - I was the hard-working editor of a publication by the name of the Eagle and “for two yeas had one of the pleasantest sits of my life — a good owner, good pay, and easy work and hours - the workday ended about three every afternoon.. The troubles in the Democratic party broke forth about those times -

:And what time was that?

Ah, between 1848 and 1849. And I split off with the Radicals wing, which led to rows with the boss and 'the party’ and I lost my place. Being now out of a job, I was rather desolute and went to the theatre. It happened that I met a man at the theatre by the name of McClure. He planned to establish a newspaper called the Crescent in New Orleans. By the way, it is said that we met between acts one night in the lobby of the old Broadway Theatre near Pearl Street in New York.

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Welcome to Celebrate poe - Episode 390 - The Quaker Preacher

Today I want to talk about Elias Hicks - a fascinating person who greatly influenced Walt Whitman.

Greetings, Mr. Bartley.

Hello, Mr. Whitman. Now today I want to talk about Elias Hicks.

Ah, Mr. Bartley - you mean the Quaker preacher.r

Yes, Mr. Whitman - the one and the same.

Yes, I find the subject of Elias Hicks to be a most fascinating one. And you know that I greatly enjoy learning about the ancestry of various individuals who were important to my life.

Yes, Mr. Whitman - it seems that family history was an integral part of one’s identity for individuals living during your lifetime.

Exactly, Mr. Bartley, in the case of Elias Hicks, his family was descended from Robert Hicks, who, in 1622 at 42 years of age, arrived on the ship Fortune in Plymouth, Massachusetts.

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Welcome to Celebrate Poe - My name is George Bartley, and this is episode 389 - What Did Whitman Read?

Ghost sound

Hello, Mr. Whitman.

Greetings, George.

Mr. Whitman - I mean Walt - we have been talking about your youth. And I understand that you were largely self-taught in many respects. It seems that you greatly enjoyed reading Shakespeare and the King James Version of the Bible.

I certainly was impressed by Mr. Shakespeare’s works during my youth - as well as later in life - and basked in the beauty of his words.

Yes, from what I understand, your view of Shakespeare’s works evolved - if that is the right word - during your life.

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Welcome to Celebrate Poe - My name is George Bartley, and this is episode 388 - Celebrating Whitman

Edgar Allan Poe and Walt Whitman are, arguably, the greatest writers of the 19th century. So last year, I decided to start a new podcast about Walt Whitman called celebrate whitman, as well as continuing celebrate Poe. Here is a 30 second promo for that new "Celebrate Whitman" podcast:

"From the creator of the acclaimed "Celebrate Poe" podcast comes a new audio journey into the life and revolutionary works of Walt Whitman. "Celebrate Whitman" immerses you in the bold, optimistic vision of America's quintessential poet. Discover Whitman's cosmic perspective and how he captured the spirit of democracy through his groundbreaking free verse. Join us as we explore "Leaves of Grass" and Whitman's enduring impact on literature and culture. Official premiere for Celebrate Whitman is July 4, 2024.”

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