Grass, a central symbol of this epic poem, suggests the divinity of common things. The nature and significance of grass unfold the themes of death and immortality, for grass is symbolic of the ongoing cycle of life present in nature, which assures each man of his immortality. Nature is an emblem of God, for God's eternal presence in it is evident everywhere. Grass is the key to the secrets of man's relationship with the Divine. It indicates that, God is everything and everything is God.
These sections deal with the themes of God, life, death, and nature. Their primary aim is to reveal the nature of the poet's journey through life and the spiritual knowledge which he strives for along the way. They reveal an essential element in a mystical experience — the awakening of the poet's self. "Song of Myself" is a poetical expression of that mystical experience. It arises out of a belief that it is possible to achieve communion with God through contemplation and love, without the medium of human reason. It is a way of attaining knowledge of spiritual truths through intuition. Sections I to 5 concern the poet's entry into a mystical state, while sections 6-16 describe the awakening of the poet's self to his own universality.
