I think the main issue of the poem Crossing Brooklyn Ferry is human connection across generations. People’s emotions, experience and being alive are the same for the ones that are far apart by centuries. I have this thought because I saw Whitman W. during the whole porridge talking directly to the future readers and the ferry passengers, asserting that time and space “cannot make any difference.” He recounts trivial happenings like standing on the ferry, playing with water and half-glimpsing the folks, while strapping down that those in the future will feel the same as he does. It indicates that Whitman perceives humanity as highly interconnected and not limited by time and space.

The poet makes a significant point by using the case of a persistent theme that is supported with another powerful device, repetition and long lists. A very evident instance is when he goes on to say “Others will…” and after that, the poet goes on to say what the future passengers will see and feel while crossing the river. The repetition brings about a very rhythmic, almost soothing effect that imitates the constant movement of the ferry and the river itself. The long lists of sights, ships, waves, crowds, and light tire the reader somewhat, although this is a very pleasant tiring since the resting in the reader’s mind is on sharing the experience and feeling immersive. Whitman has the very moment in which he is and then he blends several moments together, implying that individual lives merge into collective human experience. Thus, I was able to view the poem as a personal memory, but rather a calling to be aware that the continuous human story which stretches through multiple lifetimes is inclusive of me too.