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. Each poem records its source and display decision.
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