In his poem, "I saw In Louisiana a Live-Oak Growing," Walt Whitman writes about a companionless tree. Whitman deliberately uses simple diction to show the tree is content even though it may appear lonesome. The narrator is perplexed at the tree's disposition, and wonders why it is joyous in times of solitude. Whitman's use of simple language makes the poem accessible and clear. When examined closely, a parallel can be made between the tree and the poem. Also a clash is created between the tree and the speaker, in which case the tree is independent of its surroundings and the speaker is dependant of his surroundings. This eventually leads to pity for the speaker, and an understanding that even if a person is alone, he does not necessarily have to be lonesome.
             Whitman uses the phrase, "uttering joyous leaves," three times in his fourteen line poem. It is the most repeated phrase in the poem, so it is very important, especially in a work of art that at its surface has to do with loneliness and solitude. According to the Oxford English Dictionary "utter" means, "To give expression to (a subject, theme, one's thoughts, etc.); to express, describe, or report in words; to speak of or about." In this case, the tree is uttering. The literal translation does not make sense because the tree cannot express, describe, or report in words. It is not physically possible for a tree to do such a thing as to utter. It may seem weird for Whitman to do this, but he is personifying the tree, in which he gives it human like qualities. Also unique about the tree is that it utters, "joyous leaves." Joy is defined as, "A vivid emotion of pleasure arising from a sense of well-being or satisfaction; the feeling or state of being highly pleased or delighted; exultation of spirit; gladness, delight." We often think of joy as coming from an external source. For example it coul...