This article is over the famous poet, Walt Whitman. Whitman is one poet which inspired me to begin writing poetry.
Short Bio
Walt Whitman was born in New York in 1819. He was the 2nd oldest out of seven children. His family moved to Brooklyn, and he attended public school there. After quitting school at the age of 11, he becomes a printing apprentice. At that point, he was destined for greatness. He began working in newspapers, and even owns a couple in his life time.
Somewhere in the middle of transitioning from newspaper writer to teacher, he wrote Leaves of Grass, a collection of his poetry. This collection of poems, was said to be considered "one of the world's major literary works and stand as a revolutionary development in poetry"(George Mallis). The subject matter of Leaves of Grass is so widerange and can be interpreted on so many different levels, that Whitman got many different labels as a poet. They ranged from democrat and nature lover to patriot and metaphysicist.Leaves of Grass, has many different great poems, each meaning something universal.
His other works, were just as great as his first collection though. My favorite of all his works has to be O'Captain, My Captain.
O Captain! my Captain! our fearful trip is done,
The ship has weather'd every rack, the prize we sought is won,
The port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting,
While follow eyes the steady keel, the vessel grim and daring;
But O heart! heart! heart!
O the bleeding drops of red,
Where on the deck my Captain lies,
Fallen cold and dead.
O Captain! my Captain! rise up and hear the bells;
Rise up -- for you the flag is flung -- for you the bugle trills,
For you bouquets and ribbon'd wreaths -- for you the shores a-crowding,
For you they call, the swaying mass, their eager faces turning;
Here Captain! dear father!
This arm beneath your head!
It is some dream that on the deck,
You've fallen cold and dead.
My Captain does not answer, his lips are pale and still,
My father does not feel my arm, he has no pulse nor will,
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