1.
As nearing departure,
As the time draws nigh, glooming, a cloud,
A dread beyond, of I know not what, darkens me.
2.
I shall _go_ forth,
I shall traverse the States--but I cannot tell whither or how long;
Perhaps soon, some day or night while I am singing, my voice will suddenly
cease.
3.
O book and chant! must all then amount to but this?
Must we barely arrive at this beginning of me?...
And yet it is enough, O soul!
O soul! we have positively appeared--that is enough.
The Question and Answer section for Walt Whitman: Poems is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.
D. empathetic
Whitman chose the spider because like the spider, his soul is always trying to make connections to the world.
Each stanza ends with the title line, "Pioneers! O Pioneers!" The repetition of this line accentuates the speaker's respect for the pioneers, as well as mimicking a rallying cry that brings them together and inspires them for the difficult journey...
