OWEN: Write a poem about the Search for Walt Whitman’s beard that was lost in the underground archives of the Smithsonian institute
In the depths of the Smithsonian’s halls,
An ancient relic lies in wait,
A beard that once adorned the face,
Of America’s great poet, so great.
Walt Whitman’s beard, a thing of wonder,
Was lost to time and history,
But still, it calls out like a thunder,
To those who seek its mystery.
The scholars search the archives deep,
For clues that might lead them to the prize,
They pore over ancient texts and keep,
Their eyes peeled for a sudden surprise.
The beard they seek is more than hair,
It holds the wisdom of the ages,
A symbol of a time and place,
Of freedom, love, and boundless pages.
For Whitman’s words are intertwined,
With the beard he wore so proud,
And those who search this lost treasure find,
A piece of America’s soul unbowed.
So let us raise a glass to those,
Who seek to find this hidden gem,
And may they triumph in their quest,
To bring back Whitman’s beard again.
VERIFY YOU ARE HUMAN. My Conversations with a Poet(Lyricist) In The Machine; ©2023 Owen Plotkin