Walt Whitman

Walt Whitman Poems

Walt Whitman is known as the father of free verse poetry. His deeply emotional, spiritual, and nature-based poems appeal to poetry lovers around the world. Read more about Walt Whitman.

On the Beach at Night Alone

by Walt Whitman

‘On the Beach at Night Alone’ by Walt Whitman is a powerful poem. In it, Whitman discusses how everything that has ever existed or will ever exist is connected.

This poem is regarded as one of Whitman's finest poems. Its themes of interconnectedness, spirituality, and the beauty of nature, as well as its innovative free-form style, have made it a beloved and enduring work of literature.

A vast similitude interlocks all,

All spheres, grown, ungrown, small, large, suns, moons, planets,

All distances of place however wide,

All distances of time, all inanimate forms,

Explore more poems from Walt Whitman

Facing West From California’s Shores

by Walt Whitman

‘Facing West From California’s Shores’ by Walt Whitman is a unique poem that alludes to the state of California and the potential expansion of the United States.

The poem shares many of the hallmarks of Whitman's poetry, including its free-form style, use of repetition, and focus on the beauty and interconnectedness of the natural world. This is not one of Whitman's best-known poems, but it is well-worth reading.

1861

by Walt Whitman

‘1861’ by Walt Whitman is a moving Civil War poem written from the perspective of a soldier. He details the difficulty of a particular year. 

A Clear Midnight

by Walt Whitman

‘A Clear Midnight’ by Walt Whitman is a simple, yet impactful poem that depicts a speaker’s desire to free his soul from the confines of day to day life. 

A Woman Waits for Me

by Walt Whitman

Formerly known as ‘Poem of Procreation,’ Whitman’s ‘A Woman Waits for Me’ is all about the power of regeneration, procreation, and creativity.

An Army Corps on the March

by Walt Whitman

Whitman’s ‘An Army Corps on the March’ is a moving depiction of soldiers marching forward tirelessly during the Civil War. No matter how exhausted they were, they had a goal to fulfill and a dream to achieve!

Beat! Beat! Drums!

by Walt Whitman

The commentary that Whitman provides in ‘Beat! Beat! Drums!’, in regard to the American Civil war, is that it’s all-encompassing and negative.

Broadway

by Walt Whitman

‘Broadway’ by Walt Whitman is a short, effective poem that speaks to the nature of contemporary life. It focuses in on one street in New York City.

Come Up from the Fields Father

by Walt Whitman

‘Come Up from the Fields Father’ by Walt Whitman is a moving war-time poem. Through its lines, the poet addresses the effect of a son’s death on his family. 

I Hear America Singing

by Walt Whitman

Walt Whitman’s poetic prose, ‘I hear America Singing’, free-flows with vibrancy, energy, and sheer respect for proletariat members of America.

I Sing the Body Electric

by Walt Whitman

‘I Sing the Body Electric’ by Walt Whitman is one of the poet’s well-known and celebrated early poems. It was published in 1855, in the first edition of Leaves of Grass.

Long, too long America

by Walt Whitman

‘Long, too long America’ is a poem written by the great American poet Walt Whitman. It is one of the early Civil War poems written by Whitman.

Me Imperturbe

by Walt Whitman

‘Me Imperturbe’ by Walt Whitman describes a speaker’s dedication to maintaining his mental and emotional state in the face of varying challenges.

O Captain! My Captain!

by Walt Whitman

Saddened by the results of the American civil war, Walt Whitman wrote the elegy, ‘O Captain! My Captain!’ in memory of deceased American President Abraham Lincoln in 1865. The civil war occurred during his lifetime with Whitman a staunch supporter of unionists.

O Me! O Life!

by Walt Whitman

‘O Me! O Life!’ by Walt Whitman is a poem where being capable of boosting the quality of “life” is presented through juxtaposed ideas.

One’s-Self I Sing

by Walt Whitman

‘One’s-Self I Sing’ by Walt Whitman is a short poem that explores a few of the themes Whitman is going to use in Inscriptions. The poem celebrates the beauty and wonder of the common and separate identities of humanity. 

Passage to India

by Walt Whitman

‘Passage to India’ by Walt Whitman describes an imaginary journey that a speaker wants to take into fabled India. 

The Dalliance of the Eagles

by Walt Whitman

Whitman’s ‘The Dalliance of the Eagles’ depicts a fierce yet amorous scene of the birds of prey, briefly consummating in the open sky and then parting in their own ways. This poem was not received favorably due to its explicit depiction of sexuality.

The Best-Kept Secrets of Poetry

Discover and learn about the greatest poetry ever straight to your inbox

Discover and learn about the greatest poetry, straight to your inbox

Start Your Perfect Poetry Journey