In the poem called “I Hear America Singing.” by Walt Whitman doesn’t waste any time jumping right into the poem showing us that he hears “America Singing.” We assume that Whitman uses the word “America” as a symbol for the American people. First, the speaker describes how the mechanics are singing blithe and strong. In the second line, it states, they’re singing as they should be which makes us believe that the mechanics have achieved the writer’s expectations. As the poem goes on we are then introduced to four other American laborers like the mason, boatman, shoemaker, and the wood-cutter. All the people who Whitman uses in this poem show us that they are all proud of what they do and love singing as well. As the poem starts to conclude, Whitman says that all the people who are working hard are now singing melodious songs together with open mouths.
In contrast with the last poem we will start to look at another poem by Walt Whitman which is called “I Sit and Look out.” The speaker shows us in this poem the negativities that are happening in America. It talks about a man who sees evil in the world and does nothing stop it or change it. The poem begins by the speaker just watching the world change by all oppression and the shame going on all around us. He says that he just sits and looks out which shows that he is ashamed of what’s going on but isn’t able to do anything about it. In the first couple lines he describes of hearing the sobbing of young people who are regretting their own mistakes. Among having such a terrible life, he also tells us that that mothers are being neglected by her children. The reader then paints vivid images in the reader’s mind about husbands misusing their wives and seeing male seducers around these women.