Leaves of Grass, first published in 1855, contained twelve long untitled poems, but Whitman continued to expand it throughout his life.Whitman’s poetry was unprecedented in its unapologetic joy in the physical and its inextricable link to the spiritual. As Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote to him: “I am very happy in reading [Leaves of Grass], as great power makes us happy … I find incomparable things said incomparably well, as they must be.”… More >>
I will never read this now. But I might give a copy to some gal so I can get laid. Ummmm, y-e-e-e-s!
Rating: 1 / 5
Well, buy this book and see why I gave a copy of it to Monica. Huh, huh!. Well, she stabbed me in the back in the end, but we’ll always have Whitman……Love,
Bubba
Rating: 5 / 5
Walt Whitman’s life’s work is his “Leaves of Grass”, enlarged over the years with additional poems. Regarded as America’s poet, Whitman wrote in the 1840s through the 1880s, encompassing both the “Manifest Destiny” ideology of the pre-war, through the Reconstruction period of US History.
The poems are diverse and upbeat. The language, for the most part, is clear and easy. Nevertheless, like most poetry today, the poems are so little different from prose, except in the presentation into lines. Very few poetic devises are used.
One may correctly criticize my critique as one who does not appreciate contemporary poetry. But, in comparison to rhyhming verse by Longfellow, Frost, Byron, Browning, or Shakespeare, current poetry appears meaningless.
Although a classic, “Leaves of Grass” offers only one or two poems that qualify for a standard anthology. None of his poems are memorable. Not a single line is considered worthy of citing anywhere in literature.
I give two stars to the work, simply because I must admit my own incompetence in modern poetry appreciation. Whitman is considered important enough to be the major poet in the movie, “Dead Poet’s Society”; so, the reputation of the work must be quite impressive, though it beats me how that is.
Rating: 2 / 5
It’s sad that the way in which I happened upon this group of poems is by reading an article in today’s New York Post that lists this a one of Clinton’s gifts to his lovely Monica- An American Treasure given to an American Tramp.
Rating: 1 / 5
How come everyone constantly praises Shakespeare, Keats, Whitman, etc.? No one ever mentions any Eastern poets, i.e. Basho. I get more from 3 of his lines than pages of other poet’s works. Don’t get me wrong – I take nothing away from Whitman & this is excellent poetry.
Rating: 4 / 5