(Really) Weally, Whitman?

Below I have written little captions under the pictures in Whitman's book that caught my attention. And, while they're not in a harmonious, comprehensible order, they seem to be telling a story to me.

The last war. Is the "last war" coming,
or has it happened? Is it talking about America?
I think America thought that the American Revolution
would be the last quarrel. It also makes sense because of
the picture of Washington.

I can't read some of the crucial words, but
it looks like the person wants somebody to walk the plank
 and get what they deserve from doing something. 

It looks like this photo reads: Blow man, rage, and love.
Therefore, I'd reckon that somebody is angry,
and wants revenge. 

"Tho/The crash" it reads.  Something obviously happened
between two things. I am taking a wild guess that
it could be related to a ship or some war in America.

Washington as a skeleton with a big heart.
I think that he was loved by many, but
 somebody wants him killed. Or somebody is trying
to prove a point about some issue.

Ship of Freedom. I can't tell what the last word is,
but it looks like the first letters are L, I, B, E, R, T, which
would mean liberty?

By the looks of this man's face, he wants to keep
 something out or in. 

This man appears to have no eyes,  sad eyes,
or has his eyes on a* prize*.

It appears to be a man is looking down.
His eyes look sad, but I think he is a pirate. He's
wearing an earring.                        

What is significant about his book at first glance is that it all runs back to the idea of being free- I think. Despite the word I have yet uncovered, it shows Washington, who was the first president of the United States; it makes references to ships as well, and ships take people to other places. At sea, people have a choice at where they want to be.

He was surely obsessed with boats, and drawings. His depictions- maybe of himself- are disturbing, and all look like the same man. If it is indeed the same man, then the man wants something, yet he is regretful for it.

So, after looking at some of these photos, I would say that something was bothering Whitman, or he felt some deep admiration to his country.


AFTER:

I am pleased to say that a few of my accusations seem to be correct. Whitman's book focuses on freedom, and the idea of tranquility. But- like how did I miss libertad? I am in spanish class! That is the word for freedom! But my municipal mind did pick on the fact that it resinates with freedom.

The sketchings, undoubtedly, are of Whitman, though he didn't draw them himself, or so thought. But when I said pirate,  the drawings were in fact (?) drawn by some of Whitman's drinking buddies, and we all know that pirates love to drink (eh-hemm- Captain Hook on Once Upon a Time!).

To add to my earlier comments about the book, something caught me off guard. One of the comments about the skeleton chained up in the sky said, "suspended between day and night, life and death." It was posed as potential metaphor for America, and it has made me very curious about the intentions of it. I think this directly correlates with Whitman's believe that America would fail or succeed with the democratic experiment; it could outlive the darkness, outlive death.  Also, because Whitman was supposedly conjuring up a fake conversation with Abraham Lincoln, he was mad to an extent. But it doesn't take away from the drawing, because Whitman believed had ties to the country.

I learned that Whitman lived in a crowded home in New York with a family of five or more all together; things were tight. He yearned and desired for a better life....more freedom. This could potentially have influenced his writings and perceptions about what he discusses. Why, for a fact that he choses to spark an imaginative conversation with Abraham Lincoln, I am not sure. He could have talked with other people. So, obviously he felt a connection with Lincoln, who fought for freedom of the slaves. Maybe that is how he connects with him.