Frustrations

I'm trying to write a new choral piece, based on e.e. cummings poem "i will wade out" and it's frustrating as hell because all I can think of is Eric Whitacre's setting. I've already documented how much admiration I have for the man, but not only that, he does things with his music that are just so intrinsic to what I feel the lyric he's chosen needs. Like he just pulled out the most beautiful sounds of the text already, and I'm left with the leftover sounds. I love this poem though, so I'm mining the depths to see what I can draw from it.