I Sound My Barbaric Yawp Over the Roofs of the World

"The spotted hawk swoops by and accuses me, he complains of my gab and my loitering.

I too am not a bit tamed, I too am untranslatable,
I sound my barbaric yawp over the roofs of the world.

The last scud of the day hold back for me,
It flings my likeness after the rest and true as any on the shadow's wilds,
It coaxes me to the vapor and the dusk.

I depart as air, I shake my white locks at the runaway sun,
I effuse my flesh in eddies, and drift it in lacy jags.

I bequeath myself to the dirt to grow from the grass I love,
If you want me again, look for me under your boot-soles.

You will hardly know who I am or what I mean,
But I shall be good health to you nevertheless,
And filter and fibre your blood.

Failing to fetch me at first keep encouraged,
Missing me one place search another,
I stop somewhere waiting for you."
-Walt Whitman, Song of Myself, #52

Walt Whitman is actually my favorite poet. Well, my favorite poet who writes in English (Pablo Neruda is fantastic). While I think his poetry is absolutely amazing, his prose is very thick.
Going back to first semester, I think this poem embodies one aspect of the American Dream.
My favorite quote, "I too am not a bit tamed, I too am untranslatable / I sound my barbaric yawp over the roofs of the world." suggests that he is experiencing freedom, or yearning for it at the very least.

This is my favorite poem. I think it's beautiful.

I'll leave you with a scene from one of my favorite movies, The Dead Poet's Society. Some of Whitman's work is sprinkled within the movie - this poem appears, and the other prominent one is "Oh Captain, my Captain".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbzLUQKTDQE