Saturday, February 22, 2014

Whitman's Leaves of Grass in Apple Commercial


Normally, I'd be pissed by commercialism abusing art for its seedy purposes. In this case, I was reminded by Apple of the great quality of Whitman's Leaves of Grass so my favorite computer company gets a pass. Sure, I'm slightly biased. If the worst thing that happens is people buy more ipads and the best thing that happens is more people read Whitman, it feels more like a win-win than a gratuitous, vacuous attempt to ruin art by Madison Avenue.

The ad: http://business.time.com/2014/01/13/apples-latest-ad-is-probably-going-to-give-you-chills/

The verse: Walt Whitman (1819–1892).  Leaves of Grass.  1900. 

166. O Me! O Life! 


ME! O life!... of the questions of these recurring; 
Of the endless trains of the faithless—of cities fill’d with the foolish; 
Of myself forever reproaching myself, (for who more foolish than I, and who more faithless?) 
Of eyes that vainly crave the light—of the objects mean—of the struggle ever renew’d; 
Of the poor results of all—of the plodding and sordid crowds I see around me;         5
Of the empty and useless years of the rest—with the rest me intertwined; 
The question, O me! so sad, recurring—What good amid these, O me, O life? 
  
Answer.

That you are here—that life exists, and identity;
 
That the powerful play goes on, and you will contribute a verse.

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