Preface to "From Paumanok I Fly Like a Bird"

The 1855 Preface focuses a great deal on America and the beauty of the country. Whitman goes on and on about how free it is and welcoming the land is. In "From Paumanok Starting I Fly like a Bird" he involves both of those characteristics. In this poem Whitman is a bird and freely flies from Paumonok to many great western states singing each of their songs, and at the end of the day every state sings the American song. This shows how connected the United States are.