please help, trying to interpret this short stanza.

[reyrey389]

Whitman died chasing Champollion, seeking
grammar for God, a uniform hieroglyphic.
American answers for Egyptian enigmas.
Still, he found no stone, no Virginia Rosetta.
Dead language. Dead union. Leaves of grace.

[OrphanPip]

Which parts of it are giving you trouble?

[reyrey389]

basically all of it, i do know what rosetta stone, hieroglyphics, and champollion mean though. thanks.

[PeterL]

I interpret it to mean that Whitman died without making any great discovery or revelation. He unravelled no enigmas. His Rosetta stone was not found.

[kelby_lake]

Whitman died chasing Champollion, seeking
grammar for God, a uniform hieroglyphic.
American answers for Egyptian enigmas.
Still, he found no stone, no Virginia Rosetta.
Dead language. Dead union. Leaves of grace.

In pretty much every poem, there is always a contrast or conflict. Identify the conflict, and you have the basis of an interpretation.

[Freudian Monkey]

A beautiful poem regardless of how you decide to interpret it.