A Glimpse

“A Glimpse” was initially published in the 1860 Leaves of Grass edition. This was right before the start of the Civil War in April of 1861, when the nation’s tension was building towards its breaking point. Abraham Lincoln’s election in 1860 “caused seven southern states to secede and form the Confederate States of America; four more states soon joined them” ("Civil War." History.com, 12 May 2022). The election of Lincoln served as the ignited fuse for the war between the Union and the Confederacy. The tension felt by the nation at this historical moment translates into Whitman’s poem in the “winter night” that is occurring outside (Line 2). The mention of “winter” brings to mind images of bleak and biting conditions, correlating to the harsh political climate overtaking the country and its citizens. What Whitman offers in “A Glimpse” seems to be the “answer” or “antidote” to the division apparent in the United States. Instead of splitting relationships and creating strife over politics, Whitman advocates for building and maintaining human connection. Whether it’s gathering “around the stove” (Line 2) holding hands with a beloved, or partaking in “drinking and oath and smutty jest” (Line 6), keeping a sense of community is what provides shelter and solace for the speaker and the “crowd of workmen and drivers” (Line 2).