Monday 1 August 2011

Kookaburra sketch + Walt Whitman's reflections


The Italian nature artist Angela Maria Russo http://angelamariarusso.blogspot.com/ commented on one of my  previous posts quoting the words written by the American poet Walt Whitman (1819-1892). I think his words, intentionally provoking, give food for thought and deserve to be shared.

'I think I could turn and live with animals,
 They are so placid and self contained,
I stand and look at them long and long.
They do not sweat and whine about their condition,
They do not lie awake in the dark and weep for their sins,
They do not make me sick discussing their duty to God,
Not one is dissatisfied, not one is demented with the mania of owning things,
Not one kneels to another, nor to his kind that lived thousands of years ago,
Not one is respected or unhappy over the whole earth'.
Walt Whitman   Leaves of Grass

Until next time!                 Matteo




15 comments:

  1. Nice picture, please keep it going.

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  2. caro Matteo, grazie per la citazione e per aver scritto di nuovo il pensiero di Withman
    di questi tempi sembra sempre più difficile non invidiare gli animali.
    ciao

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  3. That is a beautiful poem. Thank you, Matteo, for posting it.

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  4. Very nice.
    Whitman changed his posture after the war years and pondered numerous subjects.

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  5. Hi Matteo, Your sketches are delightful and the layout of the blog very impressive too. Whitman's poem rings so true for me. Where I live I am surrounded by birds, there are sometimes butterflies and bees and a hedgehog visits in the evening. There is something very direct and honest about an animal's emotions and responses.
    Thank you!
    Morelle

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  6. Thanks everybody, I'm glad the poem rings true for you. I also received a comment on FaceBook from a person who sayed that, in her opinion, the poet does not know much about human nature and even less about animal nature, because animals kill each other and humans are capable of such high and spiritual feelings.. now, feel free to add any thought, the debate is opened

    Grazie a tutti, sono contento che la poesia dica il vero anche per voi. Ho ricevuto un commento su FaceBook da una persona la quale afferma che, secondo lei, il poeta non sa nulla riguardo la natura umana e anche meno riguardo quella animale, poiche' questi ultimi si uccidono selvaggiamente, mentre l'umanita' e'capace di un pensiero elevato e spirituale.. ora, il dibattito e' aperto, se volete aggiungete il vostro pensiero

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  7. Good morning from a country with rich fauna and flora ... at the Evros Delta in the Prespa lakes can be seen most kinds of birds. GREECE country a paradise ...
    Very interesting photos and all the material from your block ....
    We are the team ΣτάΛες στο ΓαΛάΖιοand I send greetings now!

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  8. dear Matteo

    Greetings from Chennai, India

    Very interesting blog, full of life and activity

    best wishes
    Wanphai Nongrum

    http://photo-journal-for-reflection.blogspot.com

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  9. Walt Whitman was one of the first individuals to actually write about the spiritual in nature. Nature functions in balance and renewal, not unlike a human heart that is open, compassionate and renewed with each day's treasures.

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  10. Certainly much to learn from Nature and Whitman. But now I have the darn Kookaburra song that I learned in grade school in my head!
    :-)

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  11. Matteo, il tuo blog è magnifico e la tua tecnica è straordinaria! Sei bravissimo, complimenti.
    Mi ha fatto davvero piacere leggere un tuo commento sul mio blog, grazie mille.
    Buon lavoro!

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  12. Thanks everybody for your comments, grazie Raffaele, detto da te mi lusinga! Buon lavoro anche a te!

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  13. Hi Matteo,
    I love your journal pages! Great little paintings of birds and such. Glad to have found you. Jacqueline

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  14. This piece is elegant in its simplicity. I can still remember the song we learned about the Kookaburra in third grade. I can actually sing it today. lol

    There is a museum made of Walt Whitman's home, here in the Pacific Northwest. How lovely of you to remind us of his poetry. I didn't realize he wrote so beautifully.

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