When I first read Crossing Brooklyn Ferry, I assumed Whitman was just describing the ferry ride along with the city around him. But that wasn’t the case. After reading it again, I finally realized the poem revolves around people being connected in some way, through experiences even if they’re from another time. He voices to future readers that they will see and feel the same as he did once, which makes this poem relatable to others. This also shows all people of different times still feel and share the same experiences.
In “Crossing Brooklyn Ferry” Whitman uses repetition by repeating the same actions, images and ideas throughout the poem. For example the idea of people crossing the ferry, watching the water and observing the city. He refers to future ferry riders who will see and experience the same things as well. The repetition helped me understand these actions will continue over time. This shows that people from different times share the same experiences. And these techniques help make the reader feel included in the poem. This poem helped me realize how we relate to one another, not just one moment.
Hi Alexandra,
I like how we both picked up on the idea that people are connected across time. We both saw that Whitman isn’t just talking about a ferry ride but about how people across generations still go through the same kinds of experiences. The only real difference is how we looked at it — you focused more on how repetition pulls the reader into the poem, while I talked more about how Whitman speaking to future readers shows that our feelings stay pretty much the same. But in the end, we’re both getting at the same message about shared human experience. Nice work!