Boot soles

Walt Whitman, one of the greatest American poets, wrote, “If you want me again look for me under your boot soles.” What exactly did he mean by this quote? It probably means what it says literally, meaning that a person might be under one’s boot soles. Although this may sound awkward, it probably can be possible in some weird circumstances. For example, if a person is trapped under the rubbles after a serious earthquake, the rescuer may literally be standing on top of the person beneath him without knowing. In this sense, the person can say to the rescuer, “If you want me again look for me under your boot soles.” But I think with this kind of quote, it’s impossible for it to be taken literally. Instead, this quote may be used to express unfairness and mock your opponent who is like standing on top of you and treating you like dirt under you boot soles. Also, it may just mean that this person is dead and buried underground. If one wants to look for this guy, one has to dig under one’s boot sole and find him. There can be so many different interpretations for this quote. To be exactly sure what it meant, we really got to look under our boot soles and ask Walt Whitman in person.