Unlaunch'd Voices: An Evening with Walt Whitman

Presenter: Stephen Collins

This program opens with the elderly Whitman on the evening of his seventieth birthday. The audience is a visitor in his room as he prepares for his birthday celebration. Whitman begins to reminisce during the telling. He transforms into his young vibrant self and we begin to trace back with him the experiences that led to the creation of Leaves Of Grass, his lifetime work. The first part of the performance explores Whitman's preoccupation with the self and his resolve to write with "free and brave thought..." In the second part of the performance, Whitman's life is changed forever by the Civil War. It is here that he finds "the most important work of my life," nursing the wounded soldiers in the hospitals. Through Stephen Collins' recitation of poetry and readings of actual letters, we experience Whitman's movement from selfishness toward selflessness and his growth into a mature artist who is at peace about "himself, God and death." 

 

Join us as we celebrate 50 years of bringing the humanities to your community!

Event Details

When:

Sunday, February 23, 2025 4:00pm

Where:

Whitney Community Center
16 Black Mountain Road
Jackson NH 03846

Hosted By:

Whitney Community Center

Contact Info:

Whitney Community Center, 401-824-6815