The “I exist as I am”, Whitman is talking about his perceptions of his grander self, his “I AM”. The I AM is the compilation of all that he feels he is or has been or could potentially be. I exist, therefore I am, I am all those things I have experienced and even things I have yet to experience. I am female, I am male, I am child, I am adult, angry, happy, wise and foolish. He is viewing the grander picture of how he has been responding or reacting to his environment with different parts of himself. At times, it was the angry Walt or the sad Walt or the wise Walt. All of this in response to the relationship to both outer forces around him and inner forces within him. I am enlightened. At that moment of realization, he can see and understand with uncanny clarity, the hows and whys of all the circumstances he has endured or rejoiced throughout his existential journey. It feels like a moment of pure clarity. Within this moment of clarity, he can view the grander picture of how he has been responding or reacting to his environment with different parts of himself. At times, it was the angry Walt or the sad Walt or the wise Walt. All of this in response to the relationship to both outer forces around him and inner forces within him.
He is reflecting on the fact that throughout his life, he has showed to himself via the diverse circumstance and experiences, that he is and can be many things. (I notice this, When he describes the outer nature of his surroundings, and also his own feelings).
A little dissection on the some parts of a “song to myself” by Walt Whitman
“I CELEBRATE myself, and sing myself,
And what I assume you shall assume,
For every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you”.
(This feels like a moment of realization, he has had a taste of the meaning of his existence and knows that this feeling is or will be very similar for all other humans, hence the assume part. He has just understood that life is a celebration of self, for it is