Poetry Podcast

Two childhood friends reconnect after one moves away and they end up in the same school. The poem "A Noiseless Patient Spider" by Walt Whitman resonates with the speaker, as it explores the connections we make with others and how they shape our lives. The spider building its web is compared to the people who support us and contribute to our identity. Walt Whitman's unique style of writing poetry is evident in this concise yet impactful poem. The speaker believes that we should appreciate the role others play in our lives and treat each other with kindness. My name is Tessa Tiegler, and when I was little, I became very good friends with a girl from my school. She moved away for a while, but eventually came back into town, and by random luck, she and I were put into the same school. Neither of us remembered each other, but became quite close again. We somehow rekindled a friendship that had been lost by time and distance. A Noiseless Patient Spider by Walt Whitman A noiseless patient spider, I marked for on a little promontory it stood isolated, marked how to explore the vacant, vast surrounding. It launched forth filament, filament, filament, out of itself, ever unreeling them, ever tirelessly speeding them. And you, oh my soul, where you stand, surrounded, detached, in measureless oceans of space, ceaselessly musing, venturing, throwing, seeking the spheres to connect them, to the bridge you will need be formed, to the ductile anchor hold, to the gossamer thread you fling catch somewhere, oh my soul. When I first read this poem, I felt like someone had put words to the connection you feel with those that have formed who you are today. The people that you encounter and make connections with create who you are as a person. In a sense, they weave the web of your life. This poem shows how life is constantly exploring the unknown. Walt Whitman uses the spider building its web as a comparison to the way that those in your life can be pillars holding up the web of your life. This poem got me thinking of how those around us have a much bigger impact than you would think. This poem has a way of making you re-examine what parts of yourself are purely your own and what parts came from those you love. Walt Whitman did not start his life as a poet. He learned to work a printing press, and eventually that became his career. His debut into the world of poetry was a small book called Leaves of Grass. His way of writing poetry was unusual for his time. And now, this particular poem by Walt Whitman is only two sentences long. The first is all about the spider, and the second is about his soul. He compares how his soul latches onto people to the way the spider secures its silk to whatever is around it for its web. The way this poem is broken up helps solidify the comparison between spider and soul. If he had added more, his point would have been lost in the noise. I believe that many can see the truth in this poem. It sheds light on the way humans rely on each other. This poem is a beautiful way of putting a part of our lives to words. If you have ever noticed yourself doing something that is so distinctly from someone else, then you will understand this poem. I think that in this poem, he is talking about how the soul reaches out into the unknown of life and grabs onto those around as a way of staying grounded in the turbulence of day-to-day. The spider is the perfect comparison for this idea. The spider throws out its silk, hoping it will catch, and when it does, it uses that to create its own. I believe that if you spend enough time with a person, you will collect certain attributes of their character into your own. This may not be the most famous of Walt Whitman's poems, but it's certainly an important one. I believe that if we all start thinking of our lives as webs, and the people around us as rock holding up our web, we will stop taking each other for granted and start being kinder to one another. A Noiseless Patient Spider by Walt Whitman A noiseless patient spider, I marked where on a little promontory it stood isolated, marked how to explore the vacant, vast surrounding. It launched forth filament, filament, filament, out of itself, ever unrailing them, ever tirelessly feeding them. And you, oh my soul, where you stand, surrounded, detached, in measureless oceans of space, ceaselessly musing, venturing, throwing, seeking the spheres to connect them. Till the bridge you will need be formed, till the ductile anchor hold, till the gospel thread you fling catch somewhere, oh my soul. A Noiseless Patient Spider by Walt Whitman