There Was A Child Went Forth Every Day

In “There was a child went forth every day…”, perspective is caught up in the mind of a young child. This point of view allows the reader to experience the excitement, wonder and mental process the child uses to absorb the world. Through jumpy depiction of daily activities, Whitman outlines the impact that the surroundings have on one’s development. The child, along with the reader, becomes part of nature and of individuals and these scenes become one with the child.

The poem follows Whitman’s catalog pattern observed in his other pieces. However, the list is composed through the eyes of an innocent child. This creates a fog of awe sprinkled with reality. While it would be ideal to focus on the development of an individual through a completely