Walt Whitman--In English, please?

When first reading Walt Whitman's When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom'd I had NO idea what was being said! I mean, the words themselves were not difficult at all to understand. But the placement and the order, I guess, was completely different that what I am used to reading. Maybe words and descriptions have just become more simple now-a-days? I'm not sure...
All I know is that after reading this through the first time I asked myself, "Okay, Walt Whitman. Let's try this again and you actually speak English this time."
You remember that exercise we had in class on Friday where we "broke down" the poem about the onions and went through those steps? Well, like the Professor told us yesterday, those same steps are applicable for most of the readings that we come across. I had to go through and use those exact same steps to understand Lilacs better!
Believe it, or not, Professor knows what he's doing.
And yet again, our small group discussion was wonderful. Me, Jennifer, Andrew, and Jared are pretty different in our literature ideas, and that's why I love our group so much--dynamics. We bring all these different ideas together and bounce off each other. (<--That little snippet was for you, team. Maybe one of you will be a faithful group member and read my blog hahaa)
ANYWAYS, our group was naming off our different favorite parts of the poem, and they were all different, and all really great. Because I had my own favorite part (Stanza 5). But, I actually started liking my group member's parts too because after they explained it, I could see the appeal of it. So, through re-reading, and discussing the reading, you really get to know the poem better.
Yet again, this class is helping become a better reader. During class you don't really think about how much the class is helping you...but sitting down and blogging about it makes it much more clear.
This wasn't in my top favorites of the works of literature we've gone over, but I can appreciate it.
Maybe, just maybe, I'll pick out a random Walt Whitman and try to understand it.

Surprised at how much she is still learning about this class,
Anna Marie

Favorite Quote/Stanza:
"Over the breast of the spring, the land, amid cities,
Amid lanes and through old woods, where lately the violets peep'd from the ground, spotting gray debris,
Amid the grass in the fields each side of the lanes, passing the endless grass,
Passing the yellow-speared wheat, ever grain from its shroud in the dark-brown fields uprisen,
Passing the apple-tree blows of white and pink in the orchards,
Carrying a corpse to where it shall rest in the grave,
Night and day journeys a coffin."