After reading Walt Whitman's "I Hear America Singing," I felt inclined to write a response regarding the true sounds we hear from America. Below, you will find a copy of Whitman's original poem and directly under it you will find my response. Thank You :)
I Hear America Singing- Walt Whitman
I hear America singing, the varied carols I hear,
Those of mechanics, each one singing his as it should be blithe
and strong,
The carpenter singing his as he measures his plank or beam,
The mason singing his as he makes ready for work, or leaves off
work,
The boatman singing what belongs to him in his boat, the
deckhand singing on the steamboat deck,
The shoemaker singing as he sits on his bench, the hatter singing
as he stands,
The wood-cutter’s song, the ploughboy’s on his way in the
morning, or at noon intermission or at sundown,
The delicious singing of the mother, or of the young wife at
work, or of the girl sewing or washing,
Each singing what belongs to him or her and to none else,
The day what belongs to the day—at night the party of young
fellows, robust, friendly,
Singing with open mouths their strong melodious songs.
I Hear America Crying- Noor Abuhayyeh
I hear America crying; the varied whimpers I hear:
Those of the ebony against maltreatment and brutality.
The sobs of the poor begging for a world without this mortality
The cries of the Latino in fear of his tyranny.
The weeps of the Muslim oppressed by the gaze.
The howls of the immigrants unimpressed by this constraint.
The mourns of the LGBT confined from devotion
Why does America suffer from a lack of emotion?
I hear America laughing; the varied sneers I hear:
Those of the famous amused by your praise.
Those of the majority who stand in vain.
The smirks of white men in piety celebrating their great supremacy
Why do we live in a society without any empathy?
I hear America celebrating; the varied honorings I see:
Celebrations of the white supremacy
As America moves back in history.
With the taunts and jeers of the elite,
The rest of America lies in defeat.
