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Classic and Contemporary Poetry


GOOD-BYE MY FANCY! by WALT WHITMAN

Poem Explanation Poet Analysis

First Line: GOOD-BYE MY FANCY! / FAREWELL DEAR MATE, DEAR LOVE!
Last Line: GOOD-BYE -- AND HAIL! MY FANCY.
Subject(s): FAREWELL; PARTING;

Good-bye my Fancy!
Farewell dear mate, dear love!
I'm going away, I know not where,
Or to what fortune, or whether I may ever see you again,
So Good-bye my Fancy.

Now for my last -- let me look back a moment;
The slower fainter ticking of the clock is in me,
Exit, nightfall, and soon the heart-thud stopping.

Long have we lived, joy'd, caress'd together;
Delightful! -- now separation -- Good-bye my Fancy.

Yet let me not be too hasty,
Long indeed have we lived, slept, filter'd, become really
blended into one;
Then if we die we die together, (yes, we'll remain one,)
If we go anywhere we'll go together to meet what happens,
May-be we'll be better off and blither, and learn something,
May-be it is yourself now really ushering me to the true
songs, (who knows?)
May-be it is you the mortal knob really undoing, turning --
so now finally,
Good-bye -- and hail! my Fancy.



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