Poet
Walt Whitman
American poet · 1819–1892
O Captain! My Captain!Song of MyselfA Noiseless Patient Spider
Walt Whitman invented American free verse. Leaves of Grass — self-published in 1855 and revised for the rest of his life — threw out rhyme and meter for long, rolling lines that tried to contain the whole democratic country: cities, crowds, bodies, grief, joy.
During the Civil War he volunteered in army hospitals, an experience that produced his great elegies for Abraham Lincoln, including "O Captain! My Captain!" — ironically the most traditional poem he ever wrote, and in his lifetime his most famous.
44 poems by Walt Whitman
Full text, free to read — all in the public domain.
O Captain! My Captain!
Walt Whitman · 1865
O Captain! my Captain ! our fearful trip is done,The ship has weathered every rack, the prize we sought is won,The port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting,
24 lines · elegy
When I Heard the Learn'd Astronomer
Walt Whitman · 1865
When I heard the learn'd astronomer,When the proofs, the figures, were ranged in columns before me,When I sitting heard the astronomer where he lectured with much applause in the lecture-room,
7 lines · free verse
- A Boston Ballad, 1854TO get betimes in Boston town, I rose this morning early;…49 lines
- A Woman Waits for MeA WOMAN waits for me—she contains all, nothing is lacking,…48 lines
- Adieu to a SoldierADIEU, O soldier!…17 lines
- An Old Man’s Thought of SchoolAN old man’s thought of School;…20 lines
- Ashes of SoldiersASHES of soldiers!…43 lines
- Beautiful WomenWOMEN sit, or move to and fro—some old, some young;…2 lines
- From Paumanok StartingFROM Paumanock starting, I fly like a bird,…12 lines
- Full of Life, NowFULL of life, now, compact, visible,…8 lines
- Gods1…32 lines
- I Dream’d in a DreamI DREAM’D in a dream, I saw a city invincible to the attacks of the whole of the rest of…7 lines
- Italian Music in DakotaTHROUGH the soft evening air enwrinding all,…17 lines
- Locations and TimesLOCATIONS and times—what is it in me that meets them all, whenever and wherever, and…4 lines
- Longings for HomeO MAGNET-SOUTH! O glistening, perfumed South! My South!…50 lines
- Look Down, Fair MoonLOOK down, fair moon, and bathe this scene;…4 lines
- MiraclesWHY! who makes much of a miracle?…37 lines
- Mother and BabeI SEE the sleeping babe, nestling the breast of its mother;…2 lines
- Native MomentsNATIVE moments! when you come upon me—Ah you are here now!…14 lines
- O Me! O Life!O ME! O life!... of the questions of these recurring;…12 lines
- O Sun of Real PeaceO SUN of real peace! O hastening light!…15 lines
- On Journeys Through The StatesON journeys through the States we start,…16 lines
- On the Beach at Night, AloneON the beach at night alone,…17 lines
- Pensive on Her Dead Gazing, I Heard the Mother of AllPENSIVE, on her dead gazing, I heard the Mother of All,…21 lines
- Poem of Remembrance for a Girl or a BoyYOU just maturing youth! You male or female!…33 lines
- Prayer of ColumbusA BATTER’D, wreck’d old man,…69 lines
- Primeval my Love for the Woman I LovePRIMEVAL my love for the woman I love,…6 lines
- Spain 1873–’74OUT of the murk of heaviest clouds,…15 lines
- Spontaneous MeSPONTANEOUS me, Nature,…61 lines
- That Music Always Round MeTHAT music always round me, unceasing, unbeginning—yet long untaught I did not hear;…13 lines
- The Ship StartingLO! the unbounded sea!…6 lines
- There was a Child went ForthTHERE was a child went forth every day;…73 lines
- These, I, Singing in SpringTHESE, I, singing in spring, collect for lovers,…40 lines
- This Moment, Yearning and ThoughtfulTHIS moment yearning and thoughtful, sitting alone,…12 lines
- To a Locomotive in WinterTHEE for my recitative!…26 lines
- Unfolded Out of the FoldsUNFOLDED out of the folds of the woman, man comes unfolded, and is always to…20 lines
- Unnamed LandsNATIONS ten thousand years before These States, and many times ten thousand years before…44 lines
- Warble for Lilac-TimeWARBLE me now, for joy of Lilac-time,…38 lines
- Weave in, Weave in, My Hardy LifeWEAVE in! weave in, my hardy life!…11 lines
- What General has a Good ArmyWHAT General has a good army in himself, has a good army;…5 lines
- When I heard at the Close of the DayWHEN I heard at the close of the day how my name had been receiv’d with plaudits in the…27 lines
- Whispers of Heavenly DeathWHISPERS of heavenly death, murmur’d I hear;…12 lines
- A Noiseless Patient SpiderA noiseless patient spider,…10 lines
- I Hear America SingingI hear America singing, the varied carols I hear,…11 lines
- O Captain! My Captain!O Captain! my Captain ! our fearful trip is done,…24 lines
- When I Heard the Learn'd AstronomerWhen I heard the learn'd astronomer,…7 lines