Song of Myself is a poem of bold declarations that selfishly assert Walt Whitman's place and purpose in the context of a world of immense scope and romantically instilled vigor. Yet, within this chaotic unfolding of identity there is a piece of the poem that stands out as a thoughtful and conspicuously reserved fragment. This breather in Whitman's otherwise energetic invective comes at the beginning of section 11, which deals with Whitman's repressed homosexual desires. The silent repetition and linked lines of questioning in this section come together to create a latent persistence of the sexual impulses described. Towards the end of the section Whitman introduces erotic imagery and a careful interplay of concise, soft and sensual sounds to give a surprising edge to his desires. These desires are not expressed in the first person, but instead manifest themselves in imaginative actions in the mind of the female character of the section. Thus the poet manages to weave a vivid sensuality into the section as he steps away from the scene to create a poetic puppet show about his sexual dilemma. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The repetition in the first three lines of the section serves to immediately establish its separation from the rest of the poem. The "twenty-eight young men" that open these lines are different from Whitman's other repetitions: they do not carry with them the charged momentum of statement, but rather reflect progressive contemplation by virtue of their brevity and simple, connective language. The first line simply states the presence of men. The second line alludes to the woman's attraction towards them, highlighting their "friendliness". The third line adds a melancholy response that places this attraction in the context of the woman's sexual repression. Describing her life as "so lonely," the speaker clearly expresses sympathy for her need to remain trapped at home in the guise of "nice clothes." The bizarre obviousness of calling his life "feminine" is Whitman's first acknowledgment that her condition represents his own. The wording is strange for describing a repressed woman, but makes perfect sense when describing the femininity of the poet's sexual desires. He, like her, is forced to close his desires behind metaphorical shutters. By placing this revelation at the end of three repetitive lines Whitman manages to capture the persistence of these desires, thus further evoking an air of sympathy for his condition of repressed homosexuality. After establishing that the woman's incarceration represents sexual repression, the poem presents two couplets that open with questions. These four lines are both curious and declarative in their progressive exploration of repression. Asking: "Which of the young people do you like best?" and then by answering “the simplest” Whitman is fully establishing the sexual attraction hinted at in the third line. The second set of questions delves into the disparity between the observant woman's mental state and her active state. In her mind, and that of the poet, the attraction to men forces the viewer to wander to the bathing place. The long, happy vowels of the phrase "splash in the water there" unfold into the kind of carefree sexual expression the poet desires. However, the terse, stiff vowels and accusatory consonants of “still stand still” follow with a weakening of this sexual fantasy. This harsh return to reality reflects the poet's captive reality and inability to satisfy the.