Appreciation : (4 marks)Read the extract and write the appreciation of the poem given below :Afoot and light-hearted I take to the open road,Healthy, free, the world before me,The long brown path before me leading wherever I choose.Henceforth I ask n…

Answer: Appreciation of ‘Song of the Open Road’ by Walt Whitman, written in paragraph form under the usual points.

About the poem / poet / title : ‘Song of the Open Road’ is written by the American poet Walt Whitman, who is known as the father of free verse. It is a part of his collection ‘Leaves of Grass’. The title suggests a joyful journey on a road that is open to all and leads wherever one chooses — a symbol of life itself.

Theme : The poem celebrates freedom, self-reliance and optimism. The poet sets out on the open road healthy, free and light-hearted. He no longer depends on good fortune because he himself is good fortune. He leaves behind complaints, books and petty criticism, is content with the earth, and still carries with him, lovingly, the people he has known.

Poetic style : The poem is written in free verse; it has no fixed rhyme scheme or metre. The long lines and the repetition of ‘Henceforth’ and ‘I carry them’ give it the rhythm of a confident march.

Language / poetic devices : The language is simple and conversational. Figures of speech include metaphor (‘the open road’ for life; ‘I myself am good-fortune’), repetition (‘Henceforth’, ‘I know’, ‘I carry them’), alliteration (‘Healthy … henceforth’, ‘complaints … criticisms’), inversion (‘Afoot and light-hearted I take to the open road’) and oxymoron (‘delicious burdens’).

Message / values / morals : True happiness lies within us. We should face life with courage, hope and self-confidence, stop whining and postponing, be content with what we have and value our relationships with fellow human beings.

Your opinion about the poem : I like the poem because its cheerful, positive tone is inspiring. It makes me feel that I am the master of my own life and that the road ahead is full of possibilities.