Hours Continuing Long

The poem falls neatly into two halves, with a transition of two lines. Lines 1 to 6 focus on Whitman’s state of mind. In Lines 7 and 8 (the transition), he thinks in general terms of the possible feelings of other men. Then in Lines 9 to 12, he wonders what his friend is feeling and speculates about whether, although apart, they are both experiencing the same kind of emotions.

Line 1, the shortest line, announces the poem’s theme: the slow passage of time and the sorrow of the speaker. Lines 2 and 3 are longer, which suggests in the form of the poem the endlessly stretching hours. These two lines also proceed chronologically, from dusk (Line 2) through to nighttime (Line 3). These lines are set outside, in public places, where one might expect to find other people. However, the solitary Whitman deliberately seeks out an isolated spot (Line 2) and then tramps the deserted streets “deep in the night” (Line 3), likely encountering no one and certainly not talking to anyone. He is so enveloped by his private afflictions that he has no interest in—and no emotional resources for—interacting with others. Indeed, he seems close to tears, “stifling plaintive cries” (Line 3).

Only in Line 4 does he begin an