A Clear Midnight Poem by Walt Whitman

A Clear Midnight

Rating: 3.6


THIS is thy hour O Soul, thy free flight into the wordless,
Away from books, away from art, the day erased, the lesson done,
Thee fully forth emerging, silent, gazing, pondering the themes thou
lovest best.
Night, sleep, death and the stars.

A Clear Midnight
COMMENTS OF THE POEM
Karen Sinclair 11 April 2013

I am limited on my education so feel timid even placing my reaction here but I loved this piece as it felt as a sigh of relief after a day of busy thoughts. I really appreciated how his words seemed unrestricted just natural in itself as one would be just before drifting off.

32 19 Reply
William Schraufnagel 11 September 2012

The last line is misprinted! It should read, Night, sleep, death, and the stars.

22 24 Reply
Daniel Brick 11 April 2014

This is clearly a later poem by Whitman, when he has raised his gaze to the sky, the night sky, and contemplates the stars. It is preparatory to death, our human mortality in general and his own encounter in particular. His advice to his loyal readers: You have followed me on my journeys through the world, observing people at work, at play, in groups or alone, pursuing happiness and profit and life, Now come with me into the realm of silence, vastness, a new existence after the crossing the greatest of all threshold. I'll go first. I'll wait for you and take your hand if you're scared. The fear won't last long, I promise, but the wonder will be endless..

26 18 Reply
Captain Herbert Poetry 26 April 2014

I feel the depth of the poem and the poet. Short but very wide in mening

23 19 Reply
Michelle Claus 11 April 2014

My favorite poem by Walt Whitman.

22 19 Reply
Dr Dillip K Swain 26 March 2024

Thee fully forth emerging..... the surfacing of the cream!

0 0 Reply
Sylvia Frances Chan 26 March 2024

Through this excellent brevity, death is announced as short walk not very fearing long during.5 Stars! Congratulations being chosen by poem hunter and Team as The Classic Poem Of The day

0 0 Reply
Sylvia Frances Chan 26 March 2024

This might be his poem in the last period of his death, he thinks of his followers and tell them not to be scared for death, since the occurrence/the sufferings/the fear does not last long, but the reward will be endless

0 0 Reply
unknown 26 February 2021

The poems are to short

0 2 Reply
Rose Marie Juan-austin 25 January 2021

Beautifully crafted poem. Great imagery.

1 0 Reply
Walt Whitman

Walt Whitman

New York / United States
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