Over the last couple months, I’ve been piecing together a video using Walt Whitman’s poem, Pioneers! O Pioneers! I first heard this poem several years ago and it has always stuck with me for some reason.
The original concept for the poem was directed at the Americans who pioneered Westward expansion. I found it fitting with the World Race, as a large portion of it speaks to people leaving behind what is comfortable, and setting out upon a brighter future, and having the courage to impact the world.
I owe a debt of gratitude to the many members of R Squad who helped me out in the making of this video.
Below the video, I wanted to list some of my favorite stanzas of the poem: some of which I included in the video, and some that I was forced to leave out for time purposes.
O you youths, Western youths,
So impatient, full of action, full of manly pride and friendship,
Plain I see you Western youths, see you tramping with the foremost,
Pioneers! O pioneers!
All the past we leave behind,
We debouch upon a newer mightier world, varied world,
Fresh and strong the world we seize, world of labor and the march,
Pioneers! O pioneers!
O to die advancing on!
Are there some of us to droop and die? has the hour come?
Then upon the march we fittest die, soon and sure the gap is fill’d.
Pioneers! O pioneers!
O you daughters of the West!
O you young and elder daughters! O you mothers and you wives!
Never must you be divided, in our ranks you move united,
Pioneers! O pioneers!
Till with sound of trumpet,
Far, far off the daybreak call—hark! how loud and clear I hear it wind,
Swift! to the head of the army!–swift! spring to your places,
Pioneers! O pioneers!
