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THE DAY I MET WALT WHITMAN
A NOVEL BY GREGORY LEIFEL
This thought provoking, entertaining novel gives us an in-depth glimpse into our Self, Nature, and Walt Whitman. More than just an introduction to the philosophy of 18th century Poet Walt Whitman, Gregory Leifel's work brings Whitman and his words to life as the great teacher and spiritual guide.
Set in the modern world, Whitman accompanies the author on his blindfolded, barefoot, half-naked experiment through a nature preserve, where the protagonist is our conscience, and our enlightenment comes straight out of our interaction with the world around us.
Combining language that is as efflorescent as the meadows, woods, and gentle waters he walks through, with visual descriptions that come entirely from the four senses and his imagination behind the blindfold, Mr. Leifel feeds us the novel and Walt Whitman directly through all our senses. Life lessons abound in this work and the real beauty of the world around us is revealed in all its telling splendor.
The depth and breadth and construction of this novel will be talked about for years to
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"From the eyesight proceeds another eyesight
And from the hearing proceeds another hearing
And from the voice proceeds another voice
Eternally curious of the harmony of things with man.
To these respond perfections."
Walt Whitman
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"Now there shall be a man, cohered out of tumult and
chaos... the elder encourages the younger and shows him how... they two shall launch off fearlessly together till the new world fits an orbit for itself and looks unabashed on the lesser orbits of the stars and sweep through the ceaseless rings and shall never be quiet again. "
Walt Whitman
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Dear Gregory,
I wanted to take some time and let you know how much I enjoyed your book.
I've never been much a Walt Whitman fan --I tend to reach for Yeats and Keats and the old school romantics. But I appreciated a whole new insight into his words by the way you related them to your experiences on your walk. I purchased a copy of "Leaves of Grass" so that I could cross reference your selections.
The idea of walking barefoot and blindfolded scares me no end. I can visualize every thing that can go wrong--broken glass, nettles, biting insects, mad dogs, urban myth killers lurking in the shadows...etc. On the other hand, the idea also intrigues me--what would it be like?
I loved reading your tactile impressions of your walk. The feel of grass beneath your heels, and the paths through the briars. The embrace of the poet's arms about you. The cool shock of water, and the glittering shower of water drops flung from a beard. It is the best kind of writing that inspires a reader, like me, to desire to follow the same path, to fee the same experiences. I gathered in your experiences and savored them, albeit vicariously.
In your book I marked many passages where I particularly enjoyed a turn of a phrase, or an insight into life. I'm certain you won't mind me taking time to share with you some of my favorite places in your book.
"True friends have a gentle, though firm way of grabbing the sides of your head and forcing you to look directly at what you might waste a lot of time avoiding."
Oh, this is so true! My best friend and I, roommates in college and soulmates for life, have said this to each other over and over for almost 20 years now! As soon as I read this phrase, I knew that I was going to be in wise hands throughout the journey.
"Most of the time I feel worthy, except when I need to act against a vocal majority or a brash
individual." This is a really powerful passage for me, as it is an issue of self confidence....Reaching our potential as human being is daunting and scary. I was always encouraged to "be good" and it is very very difficult for me to take an unpopular stand. It is reassuring to read that others have the same struggle.
"I noticed for the first time the heavy, dull smell of the damp mud."
That's exactly how freshwater mud smells in the North! It doesn't smell anything like that down here (we're on the
Tennessee and Mississippi line right now) and this simple sentence evoked all those creeks and rivulets I've ever wandered in at home. Oh Gregory, you made me homesick.
"I hear the wind playing the channels and grooves of the tree bark like a needle swimming softly through a record." Ah, this is a lovely image. Truly a story in itself. It's really a gem.
"But he got me to understand that perfection isn't necessarily about right or wrong, or who we are, but about self-acceptance and sharing ourselves unconditionally with others."
What a wonderful, healing interpretation. This might be the most important sentence in your entire book--well, at least for me.
"When I thought I couldn't stand any more sensation or emotion, I discovered more room inside myself to be filled....And when I thought I knew myself, I learned that by letting go of my fears I had much more to give myself and to others."
This entire paragraph really hit home. It took me back to times of great sadness and great joy. That trust in oneself to let go and fully live the experience is an awesome blessing.
I read the entire book at one sitting. We were anchored in Smith Bay, a large embayment on the Tennessee
River just about 5 miles south of Kentucky Dam. The water was perfectly calm, the shore was lined with a small sandy beach and rich foliage. It took only a couple hours--I read very quickly. The setting seemed ideal, and I felt your words sinking deeply into my soul.
That was September 10. The peace, tranquility, and sense of well being was shattered the next morning when we heard the news over the radio of the bombings. ...Life went on
hold
...Over the weeks I have found myself turning to your book several times. The passages I marked were not only the ones I enjoyed the first time through, but also the ones that spoke to me--loudly--when I sought reassurance. Reassurance that what we do by living our lives poetically, as you wrote, still has meaning.
It is a lovely book, Gregory. There is great and simple truth in it. I envy those who have yet to read it, and I hope they find the same sense of joy.
Leanne Johnson
Storyteller
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