The powerful play goes on. You may contribute a verse.
Walt Whitman, O Me, O Life (Leaves of Grass; title punctuation simplified)
The powerful play goes on. You may contribute a verse.
Walt Whitman, O Me, O Life (Leaves of Grass; title punctuation simplified)
What it means
The poem asks what good there is amid empty years and crowds. The answer: you are here, life exists, and you get to add a line. Write yours.
The source
"The powerful play goes on. You may contribute a verse." Walt Whitman said it in O Me, O Life (Leaves of Grass; title punctuation simplified). Written in English: Leaves of Grass, 1891-92 edition.
"That the powerful play goes on, and you may contribute a verse."Original English (Leaves of Grass, 1891-92 edition), O Me, O Life (Leaves of Grass; title punctuation simplified). Text read at gutenberg.org.
Who said it
Walt Whitman (1819–1892). American poet who spent his life rewriting and expanding one book, Leaves of Grass, including Song of Myself and Song of the Open Road.
Questions
- What does "The powerful play goes on. You may contribute a verse." mean?
- The poem asks what good there is amid empty years and crowds. The answer: you are here, life exists, and you get to add a line. Write yours.
- Who said "The powerful play goes on. You may contribute a verse."?
- Walt Whitman (1819–1892). Source: O Me, O Life (Leaves of Grass; title punctuation simplified).
- What is the original wording?
- That the powerful play goes on, and you may contribute a verse (Original English (Leaves of Grass, 1891-92 edition)). Written in English: Leaves of Grass, 1891-92 edition.
- Is "The powerful play goes on. You may contribute a verse." on a shirt?
- Yes. We print it to order on our tees in 7 illustrated looks, from $44, with free US shipping.
Cite this line
"The powerful play goes on. You may contribute a verse." (Walt Whitman, O Me, O Life (Leaves of Grass; title punctuation simplified), trans. Original English (Leaves of Grass, 1891-92 edition)). https://spartansurfers.com/quotes/the-powerful-play-goes-on-you-may-contribute
Filed under Self.
Wear it your way
The same line in every look it fits. Each one is printed to order on heavy cotton, same price.
More from Walt Whitman
- I am large. I contain multitudes.Song of Myself, 51 (Leaves of Grass)
- Not a bit tamed. Sound your barbaric yawp.Song of Myself, 52 (Leaves of Grass)
- Missed me in one place? Search another. Keep encouraged.Song of Myself, 52 (Leaves of Grass)
- Afoot and light-hearted, the world before me.Song of the Open Road, 1 (Leaves of Grass)
- I am larger, better than I thought.Song of the Open Road, 5 (Leaves of Grass)
- We convince by our presence.Song of the Open Road, 10 (Leaves of Grass)