Facing West

Growing up on California's shores, I used to feel that this poem was speaking to me ... especially since I wanted to circle the world and connect with the geography Whitman mentions.  As a child here in Santa Barbara, I did indeed stand at the Pacific's edge, at the very edge of the land where I lived--I could go no further--and long to cross that wide ocean, wondering what it would be like to make that far-away part of the world my own for a time.  Lucky me, as the years went on, I did just that.

Now, having been there, I'm back on these same shores celebrating the poem again after so many years.  Of course, seeking a geographical solution is what I might call the literal interpretation.  But there is also the metaphorical one of circling around from childhood to old age.   And, yes, I'm now standing there, as well.



"Facing West from California's Shores"  *  Walt Whitman
 

Facing west from California's shores,
Inquiring, tireless, seeking what is yet unfound,
I, a child, very old, over waves, towards the house of maternity,
the land of migrations, look afar,
Look off the shores of my Western sea, the circle almost circled;
For starting westward from Hindustan, from the vales of Kashmere,
From Asia, from the north, from the God, the sage, and the hero,
From the south, from the flowery peninsulas and the spice islands,
Long having wander'd since, round the earth having wander'd,
Now I face home again, very pleas'd and joyous,
(But where is what I started for so long ago?
And why is it yet unfound?)

(Note:  public-domain-poetry.com lists this as being in the public domain which indicates that I can copy this without needing permission.)