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Walt Whitman
#13
on top 500 Poets
Walt Whitman
(1819-1892 / New York / United States)
345 poems of Walt Whitman
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  A Glimpse

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A GLIMPSE, through an interstice caught,
Of a crowd of workmen and drivers in a bar-room, around the stove,
late of a winter night--And I unremark'd seated in a corner;
Of a youth who loves me, and whom I love, silently approaching, and
seating himself near, that he may hold me by the hand;
A long while, amid the noises of coming and going--of drinking and
oath and smutty jest,
There we two, content, happy in being together, speaking little,
perhaps not a word.


Walt Whitman

Submitted Date Tuesday, December 31, 2002



Read poems about / on: winter, together, happy, night, love

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  Comments about this poem (A Glimpse by Walt Whitman )
 
Kevin Duan (2/9/2012 2:35:00 PM)
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you have a talent for expressing much in your feeling in just a few short sentences
Carlos Echeverria (2/9/2012 10:24:00 AM)
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Whitman's expressing sexual frustration in a beautiful poem.
Juan Olivarez (2/9/2011 8:18:00 AM)
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Anastasia Walt Whitman is dead. He has been for over hundred years, I personally did not like Walt Whitmans writings except for a few. Like Captain my Captain, and When Lilacs last in the dooryard bloomed. His poetry to me was too conceited and at the time we studied it in the 60s he just did not measure up to the greats.
Anastasia Roze (2/9/2010 6:26:00 PM)
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im not experianced but this poem u wrote is amazing! it is simple but yet expresses some much emotion. Good work!
Timothy Caffery (2/9/2010 4:35:00 PM)
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Only if America was caught up in the beauty of his graphic portrayal of human affection instead of blindly addicted to sending boys (and now girls) to die in war. Men giving young men their hands in compassion instead of rifles and uniforms and human targets. Too bad his dream isn't the American Dream, too bad.
Terence George Craddock (2/9/2010 11:45:00 AM)
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Interesting comments to come so late upon. Whitman wrote Leaves of Grass, that gave so many readings of illumination, so who cares if he was gay? And if he was? What courage to write it down at the time, originating as Walt did from a Quaker background. With Walt having four handicapped siblings and my own childhood memories of coal mining and logging pubs, I can see other readings from an era extinct, now even in the isolated region of my birth. Is not a strength of this poem, the rural description and invitation to each reader to perceive what they may?
Kevin Straw (2/9/2010 7:23:00 AM)
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Whitman includes both himself the poet and himself as the young man by the brilliant line “A GLIMPSE, through an interstice caught…” – he is looking secretly on at himself.

In this way Whitman shows he is anxious for the young man, who is remarkably untouched by the turbulent macho atmosphere of the bar room, perhaps because he knows which way these situations can turn.

At the same time he marvels at himself making such a frank and courageous avowal of love in such an unlikely circumstances.

It is interesting that it is when the youth comes in that Whitman “turns up” the noise of the bar-room.
Ramesh T A (2/9/2010 1:33:00 AM)
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A common sight in a bar on a winter day near the stove to pass the time with known figures is well known for all! It reminds me of coffee house intellectual talkers too! But it is common of day-today chatting place more now than in his times! A casually written poem without any seriousness appeals to ordinary readers very well!
ata khan (2/9/2009 3:00:00 PM)
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I agree with Joe Powhit regarding this no tv and video.
Dear readers, kindly read my poem 'My village, winter and hope'
on the same topic, you'll like it too. THANKS
JOSEPH POEWHIT (2/9/2009 9:47:00 AM)
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How Whitman captured a moment in time. 'AROUND THE STOVE'. Coal or wood burning. No TV. - Radios, - just people being people, in a remote setting of a reality of the past. A boy holding his hand, today would have different implications. BUT, it was more, a neighbor family atmosphere, surrounding the early American community. Captured well by the poet..
 

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