Walt Whitman "Song of Myself"

"Song of Myself" is a bunch of different poems put together in one huge poem.  I just want to focus on a two segments or parts, however.

The first part of the entire thing is very nice to me because it shows that he has some self confidence.  He believes that he is a wonderful being who has learned much and wants to share all of his knowledge with others, a.k.a. - the readers.

The second segment I want to focus on is in part two.  It is the lines beginning with "Have you reckon'd a thousand acres much?" and ending with "You shall listen to all sides and filter them from your self."

I like this part of "Song of Myself" because he is asking the reader if they have learned as much as he.  If not, he invites them to learn from him.  He doesn't want the reader to learn exactly as he has, though.  He wants the reader to take everything in, everything he says and then look at their surroundings.  He wants the reader to filter everything they see and hear and learn to create their own views on different matters.  This moment I find so precious because he's addressing the reader directly, and very early on, too.