Walt Whitman: Poems
What is the poem all about
When i Heard the Learne'd astronomer
When i Heard the Learne'd astronomer
The speaker of this poem describes listening to a learned astronomer lecture. He sees proofs and figures in columns before him, as well as charts and diagrams that he is supposed to analyze mathematically. At the end of the the lecture, everyone else applauds the astronomer. Meanwhile, the speaker sits in the lecture room, feeling sick and tired. When he wanders away, he looks up into the sky and finally recognizes the magic.