The Complete Poems

In 1855 Walt Whitman published Leaves of Grass, the work which defined him as one of America's most influential voices, and which he added to throughout his life. A collection of astonishing originality and intensity, it spoke of politics, sexual emancipation and what it meant to be an American. A definitive compilation of the poetry of Walt Whitman explores the themes of sexual emancipation, politics, and what it means to be an American in such acclaimed works as "Song of Myself," "I Sing the Body Electric," and "When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom''d," accompanied by a detailed introduction to the poet, his work, and his important influence. Reprint.