Through a close reading of Leaves of Grass, its constituent poems, particularly Song of Myself and Whitman's prose and letters, Aspiz charts how the poet's exuberant celebration of life is a consequence of his central concern: the ever presence of death and the prospect of an afterlife.

One of the Greatest Poems in American Literature Walt Whitman (1819-1892) was considered by many to be one of the most important American poets of all time. He had a profound influence on all those who came after him. “Song of Myself”, a portion of Whitman’s monumental poetry collection “Leaves of Grass”, is one of his most beloved poems. It was through this moving piece that Whitman first made himself known to the world. One of the most acclaimed of all American poems, it is written in Whitman’s signature free verse style, without a regular form, meter, or rhythm. His lines have a mesmerizing chant-like quality, as he sought to make poetry more appealing. Few poems are as fun to read aloud as this one. Considered to be the core of his poetic vision, this poem is an optimistic and inspirational look at the world in 1855. It is exhilarating, epic, and fresh in its brilliant and fascinating diction and wordplay as it tries to capture the unique meaning of words of the day, while also embracing the rapidly evolving vocabularies of the sciences and the streets. Far ahead of its time, it was considered by many social conservatives to be scandalous and obscene for its depiction of sexuality and desire, while at the same time, critics hailed the poem as a modern masterpiece. This first version of “Song of Myself” is far superior to the later versions and will delight readers with the playfulness of its diction as it glorifies the self, body, and soul. “I am large, I contain multitudes,”

Reproduction of the original: The Wound Dresser by Walt Whitman

Offers advice on writing essays about the poetry of Walt Whitman and lists sample topics.

Comprising more than 30 substantial essays written by leading scholars, this companion constitutes an exceptionally broad-ranging and in-depth guide to one of America’s greatest poets. Makes the best and most up-to-date thinking on Whitman available to students Designed to make readers more aware of the social and cultural contexts of Whitman’s work, and of the experimental nature of his writing Includes contributions devoted to specific poetry and prose works, a compact biography of the poet, and a bibliography