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Jun 10, 2017 · Walt Whitman (1819-92), with his innovative free verse and celebration of the American landscape, made his poetry a sort of literary declaration of independence, seeking to move away from the literary tradition associated with the Old World and forge a new, distinctly American literature. Below are ten of Whitman’s greatest poems which ...
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One of several poems Walt Whitman wrote about Abraham...
- O Captain! My Captain
Even those who aren’t familiar with Walt Whitman’s poems may...
- Recommendation
By Dr Oliver Tearle (Loughborough University) Walt Whitman...
- A Noiseless Patient Spider
This is like the common grammatical solecism known as the...
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A reading of a classic short Whitman poem by Dr Oliver...
- Walt Whitman
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Mar 12, 2024 · These 25 Walt Whitman poems are among his best, highlighting his themes of self, life and death, nature, and patriotism. Get the full text of each poem as a free printable to use with your students by filling out the form.
Walt Whitman was a groundbreaking American poet, best known for poems such as ‘Song of Myself’ and ‘I Sing the Body Electric’. Here, we’ve selected some of the very best Walt Whitman poetry.
Walt Whitman is America’s world poet—a latter-day successor to Homer, Virgil, Dante, and Shakespeare. In Leaves of Grass (1855, 1891-2), he celebrated democracy, nature, love, and friendship. This monumental work chanted praises to the body as well as to the soul, and found beauty and reassurance…
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O Captain! My Captain! Published in 1865, this short poem of just three stanzas is ranked one of the best poems by Walt Whitman. The reason is its patriotic tone, it’s apostrophic beginning, and its anaphoric ending. Each stanzacomprises eight verses with a good rhyming scheme and rhythm. The poet calls the captain who has laid down his life for th...
Song of Myself Published in 1855, this highly popular poem by Walt Whitman is known for its length and sections. The poem comprises 1300 verses with 52 sections. Written in free verse, “Song of Myself” has attracted the attention of the critics and readers alike on account of its thematic strand of a person’s self, identity, and others. The poet th...
Shut Not Your Doors This beautiful short poem by Whitman first appeared in 1865 in his collection, Drum-Taps. The poem is a powerful apostrophic description of the desire of the poet that libraries should be opened to the public. He calls the libraries to not shut their doors to the poet and that their shelves should be filled with what the people ...
To the States Published in his collection Leaves of Grass, this poem is included for its themeof resistance and conciseness. The poet calls on the states and regions to put resistance to the attempts of slavery. He clearly means civil disobedience or anti-slavery efforts. He is of the view that once a nation is enslaved, it becomes part of its psyc...
For You O Democracy Published in his popular book, Leaves of Grass”, this poem was written in 1859 or 1860. It is called a dedicatory poem about his manly love to produce a dedicated race ever lived on the continent. With the stress on the first person having a divine mission to love his comrades and desire for friendship, Whitman expresses his tho...
We Two Boys Together Clinging Like all other great poems, this poem, two, was published in Leaves of Grass in 1855. The poem is one of the best because of its tone and celebratory mood of the poem. The poet celebrates his friendship with a person with whom he goes on the roads in the United States from North to South hand in hand, loving each other...
There Was a Child went Forth This poem was also published in 1859, as part of Whitman’s celebratory poetic collection, Leaves of Grass. Later changed to the current title in 1871. The poem is one of the best poems by Whitman on account of its theme and presentation. The poet tells the readers about a child who has gone forth looking for things to p...
To a Stranger Occurring in the same collection of Whatman, Leaves of Grass, and appearing in the same section, this short poem presents the reaction of the poet toward a stranger when he passes beside him. This theme of unique feelings has made the poem be added to our list. The poet asks a passing stranger that he does not know the feelings of the...
One’s-Self I Sing This short poem is the last one published in Leaves of Grass. Therefore, its publication is the same as of the collection. The poet has again commented on political matters, saying all the people are counted in democracy. Analyzing the word “democratic,” the poet states that the poet sings about physiology, Form, Female, and even ...
On the Beach at Night The poet presents a female child standing on a beach with a nocturnal scene behind her and her father with him. Published in 1871 in the “Sea-Shore Memories” group of poems, this poem presents the unknown world of the ocean and its expanse, showing how a child keeps her father close to her due to the fear of the “burial clouds...
Walt Whitman is known as the father of free verse poetry. His deeply emotional, spiritual, and nature-based poems appeal to poetry lovers around the world.
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Walt Whitman is considered one of the most influential American poets, often called the "father of free verse." His work broke away from traditional poetic forms, embracing a free-flowing style that celebrated the diversity and individuality of America and its people.
