Among the men and women, the multitude,
I perceive one picking me out by secret and divine signs,
Acknowledging none else--not parent, wife, husband, brother, child, any
nearer than I am;
Some are baffled--But that one is not--that one knows me.
Ah, lover and perfect equal!
I meant that you should discover me so, by my faint indirections;
And I, when I meet you, mean to discover you by the like in you.
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...
