What can be written of Walt Whitman that has not already been pondered or researched? The good, gray poet is an American literary icon. Leaves of Grass was his opus, his life's work. He originally published the collection of poems himself in 1855 and proceeded to submit anonymous reviews extolling the book's greatness to magazines and newspapers.
In the first edition, Whitman does not name himself as author. Instead, his engraved portrait opposes the title page and the only hint as to the owner of the words is the copyright which belongs to "Walter Whitman." Not long after, some distributors and shops would not carry Leaves of Grass due to the explicit nature of the text.
Throughout his life, he edited and re-edited The Leaves, quite literally until the "deathbed edition" which was published not long before Whitman's death in 1892. Through his many subsequent editions, he defined and created a style of free-verse poetry that no one had used before. The original publication included 12 long poems, untitled at first printing, that eventually become some of Whitman’s most famous titles such as "Song of Myself," "There Was a Child Went Forth," and "I Sing the Body Electric." Whitman's final edition contains hundreds of poems, many sectioned from earlier, longer pieces.
Whitman was fascinated by the environment and the workings of nature. Often, his poetry alludes to the connection he felt to humanity and the natural world. An early metaphysician, he concerned himself with matters of the soul as well as matters of the daily grind. Whitman juxtaposes the image of a writer as a romantic and mystical recluse with that of one involved in the work of America.
Throughout his life, he edited and re-edited The Leaves, quite literally until the "deathbed edition" which was published not long before Whitman's death in 1892. Through his many subsequent editions, he defined and created a style of free-verse poetry that no one had used before. The original publication included 12 long poems, untitled at first printing, that eventually become some of Whitman’s most famous titles such as "Song of Myself," "There Was a Child Went Forth," and "I Sing the Body Electric." Whitman's final edition contains hundreds of poems, many sectioned from earlier, longer pieces.
Whitman was fascinated by the environment and the workings of nature. Often, his poetry alludes to the connection he felt to humanity and the natural world. An early metaphysician, he concerned himself with matters of the soul as well as matters of the daily grind. Whitman juxtaposes the image of a writer as a romantic and mystical recluse with that of one involved in the work of America.
Whitman brilliantly created and became the persona of the "American poet." A poet of, and for, the common people, he became one of America’s best loved poets. In more recent history, Whitman has transcended the literary world; his poetry, lifestyle and philosophy has appeared on the pop culture scene in movies and music. Learning of his legacy, Whitman would be pleased.
A contemporary of Ralph Waldo Emerson, Whitman gleaned encouragement from him following the first printing of his work. In a letter to Whitman, Emerson says, "I greet you at the beginning of a great career, which yet must have had a long foreground somewhere, for such a start. I rubbed my eyes a little to see if this sunbeam were no illusion."
John Hollander, in an introduction to Leaves of Grass, points out that "[Whitman] demands to be taken literally and requires to be taken figuratively." Herein lies the complex dynamic in Whitman's work; at once it is metaphorical and actual. This is what makes Whitman so unique and captivating to read. He stimulates the senses with his words, as opposed to just describing what he sees and experiences.
A contemporary of Ralph Waldo Emerson, Whitman gleaned encouragement from him following the first printing of his work. In a letter to Whitman, Emerson says, "I greet you at the beginning of a great career, which yet must have had a long foreground somewhere, for such a start. I rubbed my eyes a little to see if this sunbeam were no illusion."
John Hollander, in an introduction to Leaves of Grass, points out that "[Whitman] demands to be taken literally and requires to be taken figuratively." Herein lies the complex dynamic in Whitman's work; at once it is metaphorical and actual. This is what makes Whitman so unique and captivating to read. He stimulates the senses with his words, as opposed to just describing what he sees and experiences.
Whitman personifies the United States through his poetry. He is madly in love with his country and excites in writing about it. To him, there is great unity in the people of America, and at the same time, he allows for, and celebrates, the unique qualities of everyone from the prostitute to the president. And speaking of the president, he loved Abraham Lincoln, was horrified at his death, and commemorated this hero in his poems.
His poetry sings of equality during a time of extreme separation between races and sexes and celebration in times of war and hardship. Philip Callow, in his biography of Whitman, From Noon to Starry Night, states, "In Whitman we have a democrat who set out to imagine the life of the average man in average circumstances changed into something grand and heroic."
That is the thrill in reading Leaves of Grass. The ordinary becomes extraordinary in Whitman's perspective as he gladly and patiently passes that perspective on to his readers. He calls to them still:
"I bequeath myself to the dirt to grow from the grass I love,
If you want me again look for me under your bootsoles...
"Failing to fetch me at first keep encouraged,
Missing me one place search another,
I stop somewhere waiting for you."
He is waiting for you to read his Leaves.
His poetry sings of equality during a time of extreme separation between races and sexes and celebration in times of war and hardship. Philip Callow, in his biography of Whitman, From Noon to Starry Night, states, "In Whitman we have a democrat who set out to imagine the life of the average man in average circumstances changed into something grand and heroic."
That is the thrill in reading Leaves of Grass. The ordinary becomes extraordinary in Whitman's perspective as he gladly and patiently passes that perspective on to his readers. He calls to them still:
"I bequeath myself to the dirt to grow from the grass I love,
If you want me again look for me under your bootsoles...
"Failing to fetch me at first keep encouraged,
Missing me one place search another,
I stop somewhere waiting for you."
He is waiting for you to read his Leaves.
