Births have brought us richness and variety,
And other births will bring us richness and variety.
I do not call one greater and one smaller,
That which fills its period and place is equal to any.
These lines, taken from canto 44 in Walter Whitman's "Song of Myself" give insight into the author's beliefs regarding each person's place relating to each other. According to Whitman, all humans are equals connected on a basic level, no matter how important they may seem to others. This small section of the canto also further establishes the persistent theme of appreciation—or veneration—for all human life. Just as Whitman proved in canto 6 when he stated, "growing among black folks as among white...I give them the same, I receive them the same," his belief of equality truly applies to people of all races and groups, and not only whites. Whitman presents himself as—and proves himself to be—a true and firm believer in the equal importance of every person, proven by these and other lines throughout the poem.
Author: Patrick Pacheco
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