by Walt Whitman (1819 - 1892)
To what you said
Language: English
To what you said, passionately clasping my hand, this is my answer: Though you have strayed hither, for my sake, you can never belong to me, Nor I to you, Behold the customary loves and friendships the cold guards l am that rough and simple person l am he who kisses his comrade lightly on the lips at parting, And l am one who is kissed in return, I introduce that new American salute Behold love choked, correct, polite, always suspicious Behold the received models of the parlors -- What are they to me? What to these young men that travel with me?
Text Authorship:
- by Walt Whitman (1819 - 1892) [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Leonard Bernstein (1918 - 1990), "To what you said", published 1977, from Songfest, no. 4. [text verified 1 time]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2005-09-19
Line count: 12
Word count: 102