by Whitman · Cluster: Comradeship · Union · Hands Hand in Hand
Abstract
Anaphoric lyric likening the soul’s restless burning for the beloved to fire, sea-waves and wind-borne seeds; desire, comradely love, nature and the sea.
Connections
Motifs: Fire, Sea Themes & Concepts: Lust Sexual Desire, Comradeship, Self-Knowledge
Testo integrale / Full text
Cluster: CALAMUS
Not heat flames up and consumes, Not sea-waves hurry in and out, Not the air delicious and dry, the air of ripe summer, bears lightly along white down-balls of myriads of seeds, Waited, sailing gracefully, to drop where they may; Not these, O none of these more than the flames of me, consuming, burning for his love whom I love, O none more than I hurrying in and out; Does the tide hurry, seeking something, and never give up? O I the same, O nor down-balls nor perfumes, nor the high rain-emitting clouds, are borne through the open air, Any more than my soul is borne through the open air, Wafted in all directions O love, for friendship, for you.