Leaves of Grass
First published in 1855; repeatedly revised and expanded.
Walt Whitman
American poetry
Explore this tradition and related voices →Explore this writer through the works and cards in the collection.
The person behind the ideas
Born on Long Island in 1819, Whitman first published Leaves of Grass in 1855 and kept revising it throughout his life. His expansive poetic voice challenged inherited forms and made room for bodily life, contradiction, and a many-sided self.
Biography sources
Biography reference →At a glance
- Born
- 31 May 1819
- Died
- 26 March 1892
- Birthplace
- West Hills, Long Island, New York
- Notable works
- Leaves of Grass · Song of Myself
- Tradition
- American poetry
Ideas and outlook
Whitman’s writing explores the many-sided self, embodied experience, and democratic connection. These are recurring literary concerns, not a single systematic philosophy.
About the works
Song of Myself
A central poem within Leaves of Grass, not a separate book.
Life milestones
- 1819
Born in West Hills on Long Island.
- 1855
Publishes the first edition of Leaves of Grass.
- Civil War years
Visits and supports wounded soldiers in Washington hospitals; these encounters shape his writing.
- 1873–1892
Lives in Camden, continuing to revise and publish his work.
From this voice
A thought in the atlas
“I exist as I am, that is enough.”
Leaves of Grass (1891–92)
EnoughOther quotes across journeys
Enough
Leaves of Grass (1891–92) · Song of Myself · Section 20
Design study · verified public-domain wording
Open card →Revision · Beginning Again
Near the poem’s close, the expansive speaker makes room for contradiction within a many-sided self. Our reflection draws a contemporary invitation from this passage.
Revising a description does not erase what happened or remove responsibility for past actions.
Read the original source →