ON a flat road runs the well-train'd runner;
He is lean and sinewy, with muscular legs;
He is thinly clothed--he leans forward as he runs,
With lightly closed fists, and arms partially rais'd.
I don't think it was weird at all that he was gay and wrote this poem. I mean.... look at it. I agree, it really does paint a picture, but it also doesn't mention if the runner is of any certain race, or in any certain location or terrain besides a road.
This poem really shows Whitman's ability to paint pictures with his poems. He is so detailed and specific and is able to use that in a beautiful way, not just stating the facts of what he sees. Although it was kind of weird thinking that he was gay when he wrote this poem.
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem
When I said it was weird that he was gay when he wrote this poem I didn't mean that he shouldn't have because he was gay but that it weirded ME out thinking that a gay man wrote it.