Textuality in Whitman's Work

I think there are many ways to read this passage of Whitman's. The most obvious way to interpret it is literal -- the earth is populated through the procreative act between men and women. Whitman seems very drawn to the idea of humanity continuing in this way. However, I think this passage can also refer to the act of a poet or author creating a work which has great impact upon the people who read it. Whitman's work can be "painful" because it requires a good deal of intellectual and emotional work to assimilate it and create a new meaning for ourselves out of it. But it is also for our good, because it helps us grow and expand our consciousness. If we carry the image farther, then the readers are Whitman's women. The "seed" he implants within us are the words and thoughts which he has within him and which he can no longer contain. His creative ideas cannot truly grow and develop on their own -- they must be received and nurtured by another.
I never really connected with this aspect in Whitman's work until I took this course and we talked about the issues of textuality and corporeality. I think that is one of the things I've enjoyed so much about this class -- we were always encouraged to think about the issues in new ways even if others didn't see things the same way.