Walt Whitman

Walt Whitman (1819–1892) was an American poet regarded as a founder of modern American poetry. He worked at various times as a teacher, typesetter, printer, and journalist. In 1855 he first published his collection of poems, Leaves of Grass, which he continued to expand in later editions. The collection is known for its free verse and its treatment of democracy, nature, and individual experience. During the American Civil War, Whitman volunteered in military hospitals. He died in Camden, New Jersey.