In yesterday’s class, we were given a poem by Walt Whitman entitled Crossing Brooklyn Ferry. This poem has a very a deep and profound meaning, although it is not explicitly stated. Upon reading the poem and closely analyzing it however, I could understand exactly what Whitman was trying to convey. Everyone in the world is connected. If we think about riding the Staten Island Ferry, certain mental images come to mind. We usually don’t know anyone on the ferry, but we all see the same things: the Statue of Liberty, the ships sailing, and that unforgettable view of the Manhattan skyline at night. As we gaze at these icons, we never stop to think that everyone else on that same ferry is looking at the same things and probably thinking the same things we are. No matter what languages they may speak or what they may look like, we are all connected by our thoughts and what we see, and as Whitman said, “What is it then between us?” (Stanza 5). The world really doesn’t seem so big and abstract when we think of the fact that everyone else in the world really isn’t so different than us. People hundreds of years ago have once stood in our place thinking about the same things we have. This gives me a sense of comfort that everyone is connected somehow, even if we do not always realize it.