Leaves of Grass
By Walt Whitman
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About this ebook
Whitman continually expanded and revised the book as he took on the role of a workingman's bard who championed American nationalism, political democracy, contemporary progress, and unashamed sex. This volume, which contains 383 poems, is the final 'Deathbed Edition' published in 1892.
Walt Whitman
Walt Whitman was born on Long Island, New York in 1819. He spent most of his early life in Brooklyn where he served as editor for a number of newspapers for brief periods. His first major work, Leaves of Grass, was published in 1855 and was subsequently published in nine enlarged editions throughout his lifetime. In 1862 in the midst of the Civil War, Whitman set out for the battlefield to find his wounded brother and continued to volunteer in hospitals throughout the length of the war. He died in 1892.
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Reviews for Leaves of Grass
17 ratings19 reviews
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Honestly my favorite collection of poems. The open road is my favorite. Walt Whitman discusses the connectedness of nature, democracy, and subtler, prettier things.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Walt Whitman is a genius of a poet. He takes what seems like existential ramblings, and turns them into beautiful and self-reflective pieces of art. This is not just poetry, it’s literally a thesis on life, a philosophical treasure, a song that celebrates being alive, a picture depicting the cycles of life, an ode to the SOUL – simple thoughts, taken to extraordinary levels by an extraordinary man.Although to some, the poems may be too open-ended, long, tedious or verbose to appear enjoyable - but, when you lay bare the meaning behind Whitman's words, you cannot help but feel empowered, aware, introspective, a believer in life, the lover of a human body, and a worshiper of the human soul. What more can you ask from a poet, and his poetry? Read it, live it, and love it!
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The book that started it all. I would never have gone back to college if I hadn't read this--carried it with me everywhere for months! Walt Whitman is my "great uncle."
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/52011 will go down, for me, as The Year Ben Caught Up On His Classics. Partly due to shame at continually seeing "Top 100" lists (B&N, Modern Library, etc.) of which I had invariably only read about 10, partly due to increased reading time thanks to becoming a train commuter, but mostly due to buying an e-reader and suddenly having easy, free access to public domain material, I've spent a good chunk of this year reading famous old books. Some of them were great; others, mediocre. Some of them have aged beautifully; others now seem quaint, silly, or merely boring.
In any event, whether I've enjoyed the books or not, when I sit down to review them, I do so knowing that my better-read friends have probably already read them, often decades ago. And thus it is with Leaves of Grass. There's nothing I'm going to be able to say to shed any new light on a work that's been loved, hated, studied and scrutinized for over a century, and has had numerous critical works written about it. So I won't even try. But here are a few personal observations, in lazy man's bullet points, because I write paragraphs for a living and I'm on vacation right now:
- This is a warm, beautiful collection of writings. Whitman makes constant references to throwing his arm around you, the reader, and the tone of the writing bears that out. Walt is the drunk guy at the party who really loves you, maaaaaannnnn, and keeps giving you hugs.
- I love how he manages to give structure to his poems. "Free verse" is really a misnomer, I think, because the verse is musical and wonderfully well-crafted. Shorn of the restrictions of meter or rhyme, Whitman makes amazing use of alliteration and psalm-like repetition to impart rhythm. These are lovely poems to read out loud.
- This stuff must have been scandalously graphic for the time period. There's a lot of throbbing and sliding going on. I can see why Emily Dickinson hated it.
- It's interesting how Whitman's persona and point of view subtly shift: from omnipotent and omniscient, to solipsistic; from being above all, to being one with everything. One moment he's a silent, ghostly observer, separate from the observed, and the next moment he's just one more microscopic cell in the sweaty body of humanity.
Leaves of Grass is so intense that it actually started to burn a bit by the end, an overstimulated, almost snowblind feeling. I suppose that's to be expected when you read in a few dozen hours what took a lifetime to write. I feel as though this is a book I will come back to for small doses, re-savoring favorite passages when the occasion and mood call for it. Wise, kind, funny, sexy, generous, and passionate. I'm sorry I waited 38 years to let Walt sound his barbarian yawp across the screen of my Kindle. - Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5This delightful Illustrated Leaves of Grass, with introduction by William Carlos Williams (also a poet) and edited by Howard Chapnick, provides clarity and adds dimension to 14 complete poems and 6 excerpts of his longer works. The photos, lay side-by-side with the text, made Whitman’s words pop and dance. His message is so clear, strong, and timeless when presented in this format. Considering Leaves of Grass was written between 1855 to 1892 and these photos are from 1960 to 1970, it certainly has withstood the test of time. I can even visualize what a version with current events may look.In the introduction by Williams, he wrote, “Whitman came from a rhetorical and long-winded age.” I laughed and didn’t feel so bad that I had said Whitman word-puked in my recent Leaves of Grass review. He also wrote, “Never to my knowledge had the subjects of Whitman’s Leaves of Grass been so presented! The poem came alive for me as if for the first time.” Well said. I uploaded a few pictures in my gallery to share.More Quotes:On Equality from “Song of Myself”:“I am the poet of the womanthe same as the man;And I say it is as great to be a woman as to be a man;And I say there is nothinggreater than the motherof men.”On Celebration of the Body and the Relationship between Men and Women, from “I Sing the Body Electric”:“I sing the Body electric;The armies of those I love engirth me,and I engirth them;They will not let me off till I go with them,respond to them,And discorrupt them, and charge them fullwith the charge of the Soul.Was it doubted that those who corrupt their own bodies conceal themselves?And if those who defile the livingare as bad as they who defile the dead?And if the body does not do as muchas the Soul?And if the body were not the Soul,what is the Soul?The love of the Body of man or womanbalks account – the body itself balks account;That of the male is perfect, and thatof the female is perfect.”On Aging, from “To Old Age”:“I see in you the estuary thatenlarges and spreads itself grandlyas it pours in the great Sea.” ----- I love this lineOn Adventure and the Journey of Life, from “Song of the Open Road”: “Afoot and light-hearted, I take to the open road,Healthy, free, the world before me,The long brown path before me, leading wherever I choose.Henceforth I whimper no more, postpone no more, need nothingHenceforth I ask not good-fortune – I myself am good-fortune;Strong and content, I travel the open road.”And“Now I re-examine philosophies and religions,They may prove well in lecture-rooms, yet not prove at all under the spaciousclouds, and along the landscape and flowing currents.”And“Mon enfant! I give you my hand!I give you my love, more precious than money,I give you myself, before preaching or law;Will you give me yourself? will you come travel with me?Shall we stick by each other as long as we live?”On President Lincoln’s Assassination – one of his most moving pieces:"O Captain! my Captain! our fearful trip is done;The ship has weather'd every rack, the prize we sought is won;The port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting,While follow eyes the steady keel, the vessel grim and daring:But O heart! heart! heart! O the bleeding drops of red, Where on the deck my Captain lies, Fallen cold and dead.O Captain! my Captain! rise up and hear the bells;Rise up--for you the flag is flung--for you the bugle trills; 10For you bouquets and ribbon'd wreaths--for you the shores a-crowding;For you they call, the swaying mass, their eager faces turning;Here Captain! dear father! This arm beneath your head; It is some dream that on the deck, You've fallen cold and dead.My Captain does not answer, his lips are pale and still;My father does not feel my arm, he has no pulse nor will;The ship is anchor'd safe and sound, its voyage closed and done;From fearful trip, the victor ship, comes in with object won; 20Exult, O shores, and ring, O bells! But I, with mournful tread, Walk the deck my Captain lies, Fallen cold and dead."On Whitman’s Acceptance of Death:“I bequeath myself to the dirt to grow from the grass I love,If you want me again look for me under your boot soles.You will hardly know who I am or what I am,But I shall be good health to you nevertheless,And filter and fibre your blood.Failing to fetch me at first keep encouraged,Missing me one place search another,I stop somewhere waiting for you.”
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Song of Myself
1
I celebrate myself, and sing myself,
And what I assume you shall assume,
For every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you.
I loafe and invite my soul,
I lean and loafe at my ease observing a spear of summer grass.
My tongue, every atom of my blood, form'd from this soil, this air,
Born here of parents born here from parents the same, and their parents the same,
I, now thirty-seven years old in perfect health begin,
Hoping to cease not till death.
Creeds and schools in abeyance,
Retiring back a while sufficed at what they are, but never forgotten,
I harbor for good or bad, I permit to speak at every hazard,
Nature without check with original energy. - Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Probably my favorite poet of all time or at least right up there. This collection was basically the one work Whitman did throughout his life and with each edition new poems or changes to previous poems would happen. I cannot say that I am much of an authority on poetry but I thoroughly enjoy Whitman's works and believe they should be read by all!
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Read this book as a requirement for an Major American Writers class and found it to incredible. I rarely like the books that are assigned in class, but this one is one of the few exceptions.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5A lot of the poems didn't speak to me. Particularly the war and patriotism ones. But in amongst those are some absolute gems on the topic of love and looks, work and life. And compost! How can I not approve of a man who writes a poem about compost?
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Whitman is today regarded as America's Homer or Dante, and his work the touchstone for literary originality in the New World. In Leaves of Grass, he abandoned the rules of traditional poetry - breaking the standard metered line, discarding the obligatory rhyming scheme, and using the vernacular. I read this most recently as part of a weekend retreat sponsored by the University of Chicago's Basic Program of Liberal Education. The music of his poetry was present as it is in the many authors who Whitman influenced.Emily Dickinson condemned his sexual and physiological allusions as `disgraceful', but Emerson saw the book as the `most extraordinary piece of wit and wisdom that America has yet contributed'. A century later it is his judgement of this autobiographical vision of the vigour of the American nation that has proved the more enduring.
- Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5I actually did have to read this entire collection of poems. I actually did hate that fact. I happened to enjoy some of it, and much of it made me what to stab my eyes out with knitting needles. Professors, please do not make your students read this entire collection in 1 week in a mandatory survey course for English majors--you are killing Whitman again, and again, and again. Perhaps, if this were an elective course and I had been given the time to enjoy it, I wouldn't shudder when my eyes pass over the spine of this book on my shelf.
My memory of this experience boils down to this: "The red marauder." Wouldn't Whitman want to be remembered for more? - Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5a Classic The greatness of the USA and those She welcomes from other countries
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5I'm not a huge fan of poetry normally but I do like history, so thought I'd give Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman a try. I downloaded my copy from Project Gutenberg after doing a bit of research. I decided to read the "Deathbed Version" of the original 12 poems, which were untitled when originally published in 1855. Whitman continuously revised his work for the remainder of his life with nearly 400 poems making up the 1892 Deathbed version. I found it difficult to sit and read more than a couple of poems in one sitting. Whitman's stunning volume of words wore me down. I would say I somewhat enjoyed the poems I read and that my 3 star rating reflects this. I acknowledge Whitman's innovation, creativity and place in history. I'd like to think I'd come back to read other selected poems in Leaves of Grass, such as the ones dealing with Lincoln and the patriotic ones pre-Civil War. What I really need is a proper guide and analysis plus a comparison of the poems during their evolution over the years. But that all begins to sound like a lot of study and effort that I'm not keen to undertake. The poems I read were:Song of MyselfA Song for OccupationsTo Think of TimeThe Sleepers I Sing the Body ElectricFacesSong of the AnswererEurope: The 72d and 73d Years of These StatesA Boston BalladThere Was a Child Went ForthWho Learns My Lesson Complete?Great Are the Myths
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5My favorite Whitman piece is "To You, Whoever You Are". This poem is not included in the 1855 edition of Leaves Of Grass. This is the only reason I am not giving it 5 stars. And it's no fault of Walt's. Not even my own, I just felt I needed to own this edition. Surely I will procure the deathbed edition in due time and while some more hours away in the sunshine reading his genius.I love Walt Whitman, period.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5a literary find. read with different understanding each decade of my life so far. still have my original copy - a gift at age 16 of a 1921 edition... can't even see the title on the cover anymore. all my reading has been measured against this volume. everyone should read it - at least once.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5For some reason, Walt Whitman and Brahms are tied up in my mind as the same person...kinda like God and Santa Claus were when I was a kid. Regardless, Whitman (like Brahms) is obviously a genius!
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5If there was a single book I could have on a deserted island it would be "Leaves of Grass". It is beautiful, inspired writing. It's been analyzed by many so I'll spare you any grand statements or a lot of detail, but for a taste of the themes Whitman puts across:- All men are brothers. The book celebrates the common man, and embraces the man that society has cast out or looked down upon.- Delight and oneness with nature. Delight in the small things in nature.- Spirituality achieved not by subjugating the senses or pleasures but by embracing them, and living life to the fullest.- The belief in the innate power, spirituality, and goodness of man. All of this is done in a very natural, unpretentious way ... I believe Whitman was truly inspired when he initially wrote this book, and was not regurgitating someone else's philosophy or metaphysics. There are so many wonderful passages and quotes, maybe someday I'll include some here but for now I'll just say I highly, highly recommend this book. Read it outside, under a tree.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5It is easy, and periodically fashionable to take Whitman for granted. Yes he is shamelessly self-involved and often goofy. He is also -- and here's the point, brothers and sisters -- continually amazing, and very good company. As with Bruckner Symphonies and the poems of Homer, there will always be the vexing question of which text is best. This particular edition is that, but its occasional inadequacies are more than covered by the wonderful illustrations by Lewis C. Daniel, an artist who dserved better than the obscurity into whic he has fallen.
- Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5While I appreciate the beautiful language used by Walt Whitman and free verse poetry in general, I am not really a fan. I much prefer the rhyming verse of Tennyson, Longfellow, Browning, etc. In fact, the one poem by Whitman that I really enjoy is O Captain! My Captain!, with conventional meter and rhyme. I am glad that I read this book and familiarized myself with Whitman's style, but it's not really for me.