Leaves of Grass: The Original 1855 EditionIn 1855, Walt Whitman published — at his own expense — the first edition of Leaves of Grass, a visionary volume of twelve poems. Showing the influence of a uniquely American form of mysticism known as Transcendentalism, which eschewed the general society and culture of the time, the writing is distinguished by an explosively innovative free verse style and previously unmentionable subject matter. Exalting nature, celebrating the human body, and praising the senses and sexual love, the monumental work was condemned as "immoral." Whitman continued evolving Leaves of Grass despite the controversy, growing his influential work decades after its first appearance by adding new poems with each new printing. This edition presents the original twelve poems from Whitman's premier 1855 publication of Leaves of Grass. Included are some of the greatest poems of modern times: "Song of Myself," "I Sing the Body Electric," and "There Was a Child Went Forth," works that continue to upset conventional notions of beauty and originality even today. |
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Common terms and phrases
American answer appears arms beautiful become blood body born breath bring brother child clear close comes corpse crowd dark dead death dreamed earth equal eternal expression eyes face faith fall father feel feet flow follow forever forms give goes grass greatest ground grow hair hand head hear heart holds known learned leaves less light lips live look lover master mother nature neck never night object pass past perfect person play poems poet present reach rest returns rich rise sail ships side sleep soul sound spirit stand stars stop stretches surely tell things thought touch turn universe voice wait walk Whitman whole woman women wonderful woods young
Bibliographic information
| Title | Leaves of Grass: The Original 1855 Edition Dover Thrift Editions |
| Author | Walt Whitman |
| Edition | reprint |
| Publisher | Courier Corporation, 2012 |
| ISBN | 0486112098, 9780486112091 |
| Length | 128 pages |
| Subjects | › › Poetry / American / General Poetry / Subjects & Themes / Inspirational & Religious Poetry / Subjects & Themes / Nature |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |