Salut Au Monde
- Jessica Ramsawak
- Aug 17, 2017
- 3 min read
Salut au Monde!
What cities the light or warmth penetrates, I pen- etrate those cities myself,
All islands to which birds wing their way, I wing my way myself.
Toward all,
I raise high the perpendicular hand—I make the signal,
To remain after me in sight forever,
For all the haunts and homes of men.
- Walt Whitman, "Salut Au Monde", Leaves of Grass
Whitman's "Salut au Monde"is a song in itself, a proud announcement of love and acceptance that can be considered a benchmark of sorts in American history. The poem reminds Americans of the true foundation of the country with its call for people and professions from across the globe, and like his some of his other poems in this era, contains similar values to many Hindu philosophies.
Whitman's poetry revolves around the idea of equality and tolerance throughout this poem. He aligns himself with not only the "the workman singing, and the farmer's wife singing", but also "Christian priests at the altars of their churches" and the "the Hindu teaching his favorite pupil the loves, wars, adages, transmitted safely to this day from poets who wrote three thousand years ago.” Whitman presents these people as worthy of love and admiration by highlighting their differences, but uniting them and carving a place for each of them in his piece. As the poem progresses, Whitman not only hears these people, places, and things, but he sees them, and even becomes them, "I see the cities of the earth, and make myself at random a part of them / I am a real Parisian". He continues to name as many ethnicities and professions as he can, concluding his song with a loud, positive message, "Health to you! Good will to you all—from me and America sent / For we acknowledge you all and each."
By supporting his brothers and sisters across the seas, and not only appreciating them but recognizing that he is in fact a part of them, Whitman is finding himself amongst some of the most popular philosophies in India.
Whitman brings back his belief that his spirit and soul is detached from his body, a refrain found in "Passage to India" and "Song of Myself". This theme is found in the the Samkhya school of thought, that states that when the former body has perished, the latter migrates to another temporal body. Whitman shows that he too has found this truth, "My spirit has passed in compassion and determination around the whole Earth...I think some divine rapport has equalized me with them."
Whitman also introduces an idea of equality, ideals found in some of the sutras in Buddhism. In the "Lotus Sutra", the key message is that Buddhahood, the supreme state of life characterized by boundless compassion, wisdom and courage, is inherent within every person without distinction of gender, ethnicity, social standing or intellectual ability, a mindset that is surely found in Whitman’s “Salut au Monde”.
Whitman's outlook in this poem can be considered pantheistic; pantheism being a doctrine that equates God with the forces and laws of the universe. In The Philosophy of Rabindranath Tagore (1918) , Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan discusses the philosophies of Sir Tagore, who shows that there is neither East nor West in the realm of spirit. Whitman clearly agrees with this sentiment, writing, “I have looked for equals and lovers, and found them ready for me in all lands.” In an article from ThoughtCo., the author describes Whitman’s desire for equality and global acceptance, “In accepting the prostitute and murderer along with the deformed, trivial, flat, and despised, Whitman is trying to accept all of America (accepting the ultra-religious, along with the godless and un-religious). Religion becomes a poetic device, subject to his artistic hand.”
It has long been known that Whitman is considered "The American Poet of Democracy." His message throughout this poem certainly proves his name. "Salut au Monde" reinforces the strictly American ideal that everyone is welcome, everyone is equal, and everyone is loved. Differences are beautiful, the spirit is in all of us, and the sun shines on all people, regardless of race, gender, age, or profession. Whitman writes, "Each of us limitless, each of us with his or her right upon the Earth...as divinely as any is here." Whitman's words and beliefs are real and true; they are important and refreshing to hear.
Sources
Books
Whitman, Walt [unsigned in original]. "Walt Whitman, The American Poet of Democracy." November 1869. The Walt Whitman Archive.
Werner, Karel (1998). Yoga And Indian Philosophy. Motilal Banarsidass Publ. p. 170. ISBN 978-81-208-1609-1.
Website
http://whitmanarchive.org/published/LG/1860/poems/51
http://www.sgi.org/about-us/buddhist-lineage/lotus-sutra.html
https://www.hinduismtoday.com/modules/smartsection/item.php?itemid=1483
http://www.uwyo.edu/religionet/er/hinduism/htexts.htm
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