Walt Whitman
An American poet, essayist, and journalist, considered one of the most influential figures in American poetry. His revolutionary collection, Leaves of Grass, introduced free verse and celebrated individualism, democracy, nature, and the human body with unparalleled expansiveness and optimism. Whitman's innovative style and democratic spirit broke from traditional poetic forms, profoundly influencing subsequent generations of poets and cementing his status as a quintessential American voice.
Leaves of Grass is Walt Whitman’s life work: a revolutionary poetry collection celebrating individuality, nature, democracy, and the human spirit. With free verse and vivid imagery, Whitman captures the vitality of 19th-century America and the transcendence of the self. Constantly revised over his lifetime, it includes iconic poems like “Song of Myself.” It’s a lyrical, sensual, and philosophical exploration of being, unbound by traditional poetic form.