Walt Whitman

Walter "Walt" Whitman (May 31, 1819 – March 26, 1892) was an American poet, essayist and journalist. He was an important American poet of the 19th century.Walt Whitman: The Poetry Foundation

His most famous collection of poems is Leaves of Grass, which was first published in 1855 with his own money. The work was an attempt at reaching out to the common person. Whitman kept adding to this book right up until he died of pneumonia, in 1892. It was controversial because readers thought it was obscene. It included some sexuality.

Whitman was either bisexual or homosexual. However, there is disagreement about whether Whitman had actual sexual experiences with men.Loving, Jerome. 1999. Walt Whitman: the song of himself. University of California Press, 19. The first great American poet

Whitman was deeply influenced by deism. He denied any one faith was more important than another, and embraced all religions equally.Reynolds, David S. 1995. Walt Whitman's America: a cultural biography. New York: Vintage Books, 237. 

Leaves of Grass

Whitman first tried writing in many different popular genres.Reynolds, 85 In 1850, he began writing Leaves of Grass,Loving, 154 a collection of poetry which he would continue working on until his death.Miller, 55 Whitman wanted to write an epicMiller, 155 that was clearly American, using free verse.Kaplan, 187 At the end of June 1855, Whitman surprised his brothers with the first copies of Leaves of Grass. His brother George "didn't think it worth reading".Callow, 226

Whitman paid for the publication of the first version of Leaves of Grass himself and had it printed at a local print shop.Loving, 178 A total of 795 copies were printed.Kaplan, 198 The first page was an image of Whitman,Callow, 227 but he doesn't write his name until 500 lines into the body of the text. Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote a kind five-page letter to Whitman and praised the book to friends.Kaplan, 203 The first edition of Leaves of Grass was very popular,Reynolds, 340 but was some people didn't like the "obscene" or offensive parts of the poetry.Loving, 414

In the months after the first edition of Leaves of Grass, people became more upset about the sexual themes. Because of this, the publisher almost did not release the second edition.Reynolds, 348 In 1856, 20 new poems were added.Callow, 238Kaplan, 207 Different versions of Leaves of Grass continued to be published throughout the rest of Whitman's life. Many famous writers like Amos Bronson Alcott and Henry David Thoreau liked the work enough to visit Whitman.Reynolds, 363

 Related pages 
List of poets from the United States
 References 

Category:19th-century American poets
Category:American essayists
Category:Journalists from New York (state)
Category:LGBT people from New York (state)
Category:American LGBT writers
Category:LGBT journalists
Category:LGBT poets
Category:Journalists from New Jersey
Category:1819 births
Category:1892 deaths
Category:Writers from Camden, New Jersey
Category:American spiritual writers