Beat! Beat! Drum!

Walt Whitman’s poem entitled “Beat! Beat! Drum” illustrated the fun, laughter, and freedom of the drums. There is no definite location that signifies the aspect of the scenario but it shows happiness and autonomy not only the sound but also the people. The whole poem defines a place where there is a roaring thunder of sounds and beats.

The author constructs several symbolic objects and images to describe the situation, feelings or emotions of the persona in the poem. Therefore, it can be said that the drums is a signification of society in this modern world as it shows the fast-pacing abundance of life as the poem discussed.

The poem has three parts on it. The first parts discussed the force of the drums as it was heard within the church. It was seen in this part that as the drum beats, the life and happiness of the church become more sustainable and developed. “BEAT! beat! drums! —Blow! bugles! blow! / Through the windows—through doors—burst like a ruthless force, / Into the solemn church, and scatter the congregation; / Into the school where the scholar is studying (Whitman 1-4). ” The solemnity of the place burst into wilderness as the drums beat as its best. The second part of the poem discussed the crowded street where people are too busy with their lives.
“Over the traffic of cities—over the rumble of wheels in the streets: / Are beds prepared for sleepers at night in the houses? No sleepers must sleep in those beds; / No bargainers’ bargains by day—no brokers or speculators—Would they continue? (9-11). ” The society is very busy but as the drums beat, they started clearing pathways and make way to the sounds of the drums. It was seen that the drums is powerful and known within the setting of the poem because it was not treated as simple formation of sounds but a realization of social factors.
The third part of the poem discussed the voice of the people. The drums serve as the voices of the people who asked for forgiveness, strength, and new life. The drums beat for them, the drums is this part signifies the life and ideologies of the society in this modern world. As the drums beat, the people started on mourning and yearning for a new beginning. This part also serves as the resolution of the poem for this became the solution of all the situation of men on earth. After all the things they have done, they will still go back to where they starts and belong.
In the first part as well as all throughout the verse, there is no conduction of rhyme and rhythm. It was a free-verse poem that exists in different point of views and attacks. As the poem went on, the stage or level of defining the drums becomes more complex and social based idea. It is for the evidence that the second part of the poem is about the street with the children and the last part was in nature – as the persona described the strength and hardness of the drums in beating the sounds of life. Work Cited Whitman, Walt. (1900). “Beat! Beat! Drums! ” 13 June 2008. http://www. bartleby. com/142/112. html