Anne Gilchrist had been quite fascinated by Whitman’s poems, but particularly, “Children of Adam.” In the collection, Whitman stresses the beauties and magnificent works of the human body and the metaphysics of life. We can see this emphasis in “Going Somewhere” where Whitman and Gilchrist exchanges conversation pertaining to “all Geologies–Histories–of all Astronomy– of Evolution, Metaphysics all” and that Anne Gilchrist, Whitman’s “science-friend,” whom has passed away, will too, not be wasted after death, but as life is “an endless march, an endless army,” she too, will be “surely going somewhere” even after death. Again, I see the connection of the theme of circle of life or the continuity of life after death as we have seen in his previous poem, “Continuities.”

Here is a transcription from Walt Whitman to Anne Gilchrist:
http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/treasures/ww0045a-trans.html

As you can see, there is quite a lot of strong feelings toward one another.