Walt Whitman

Walt Whitman was one of the greatest of American poets and he was born in Long Island on the 31st of May, 1892. He was actually called Walter but gave himself the name Walt when he first started writing. His first book of poetry, Leaves of Grass is still considered one of the most important works of American Literature.

He was born into a poor family, the third of eight children and at the age of 11, he had to learn the trade of printing. He later became a printer, a journalist and a newpaper editor.

Although he didn't have much education, he was teaching school in Long Island when he was 17. For the next 10 years Walt drifted from one job to another, teaching school, writing short stories and poems for magazines.

His first book of poetry, Leaves of Grass (1855), including the famous "Song of Myself," launched his career as a poet. The book was not well recieved because his poetry was not like the other poets of that time. Later, during the Civil War, Whitman served as a volunteer nurse and in Drum-Taps (1865) Whitman printed poems based on his wartime experiences; Sequel to Drum-Taps (1865-66) had 2 poems which are now famous, "When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom'd" and "O Captain! My Captain!" commemorating the death of Lincoln.

Whitman remained in Washington until 1873, when he suffered a stroke that left him permanently crippled. He moved to Camden, New Jersey and there, he wrote and sold his own books. Leaves of Grass, which he kept adding to, slowly became known in the United States and abroad. He wrote an autobiography entitled Specimen Days and Collect (1882) and although he was very ill after 1885, he continued to write. Leaves of Grass was revised just before his death on March 26th 1892.

His poetry is free verse and unlike the traditional English form of that time and he focused on topics which were important to the everyday person. He also celebrated what all people believe in - democracy, freedom, the self, and the joys of living. His courage in working so hard and continuing to write despite his pain in the later years of his life is an inspiration to us.

Joel Chan
Singapore