Can anyone tell me how they interpret this poem?

Question

The following poem is from Leaves of Grass, by Walt Whitman. I know that the interpretation of a poem differs from individual to individual, but I just wish to gather others' opinions.

I Was Looking A Long While

I was looking a long while for Intentions,
For a clew to the history of the past for myself, and for
these chants--and now I have found it,
It is not in those paged fables in the libraries, (them I
neither accept nor reject,)
It is no more in the legends than in all else,
It is in the present--it is this earth to-day,
It is in Democracy--(the purport and aim of all the past,)
It is the life of one man or one woman to-day--the average
man of to-day,
It is in languages, social customs, literatures, arts,
It is in the broad show of artificial things, ships, machinery,
politics, creeds, modern improvements, and the
interchange of nations,
All for the modern--all for the average man of to-day.

Answer 1

The author was at first trying to piece out information from the past (history) for himself, for his own intentions (and maybe even for his future), but while looking at it (or maybe just pondering by himself for a while), he found out that it's not really the past that matters but the present. What people do at present may someday be a past, a history so what better way to prepare for the future than to make most of one's time TODAY.

Well, that's my interpretation. ^_^

Answer 2

you merely need someone else would do your summer season time enterprise activity. Edit: If the above isn't certainly, as your piece of digital mail to me claimed, seeing your interpretation would were obtainable. Sharing your suggestions on the paintings is had to receiving the advice you seek. possibly next time placed up the poem on the element of your suggestions.

Answer 3

You just wish somebody else would do your summer school assignment.

Edit: If the above isn't true, as your email to me claimed, seeing your interpretation would have been helpful. Sharing your thoughts on the work is key to receiving the advice you seek. Maybe next time post the poem along with your thoughts.

Answer 4

We give meaning to life
while we look for
the meaning of life

We find it, but it still hides
It eludes us, but we elude it

We cannot live day-to-day
without life's intentions

Our lives intentions
to become, perhaps,
a little less afraid
of being free

Free enough to be
average, and in so
doing--we become
exceptional--

And that's how
I look at what
I perceive
and believe
what Walt
Whitman
is looking
at for a long
time--a long
time ago.
-----------------------
"The Expert"
August 4, 2007

Answer 5

He's saying that our true intentions are not a part of the past, they are an integral part of the present...the things around us, the things we create and who we are, those are representative of our intentions, our values, our beliefs. Look at what we improve and you'll understand our intentions, look at what we invent, what we destroy, what we buy, what we sell, what we say...what we do. "that" is the measure of our intentions; excuses belong to the past and promises to the future...intentions are rooted to the present.