Leaves of Grass
“I am not blind to the worth of the wonderful gift of Leaves of Grass. I find it the most extraordinary piece of wit and wisdom that America has yet contributed. I am very happy in reading it, as great power makes us happy…I give you joy of your free and brave thought. I have great joy in it…It had the best merits, namely, of fortifying and encouraging.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson in a letter to Walt Whitman, 1855
In 1855, Walt Whitman published, at his own expense, the first edition of Leaves of Grass, a visionary volume of twelve poems.
Showing the influence of a uniquely American form of mysticism known as Transcendentalism, the writing is distinguished by an explosively innovative free-verse style and previously unmentionable subject matter.
Exalting nature, celebrating the human body, and praising the senses and sexual love, this monumental work, now a classic of American poetry, was condemned as immoral upon publication. Included in this edition are some of the greatest poems of modern times, works that continue to upset conventional notions of beauty and originality even today.
Praise