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The Sleepers (poem)
"The Sleepers" is a poem by Walt Whitman. The poem was first published in the first edition of ''Leaves of Grass'' (1855), but was re-titled and heavily revised several times throughout Whitman's life. Background The American poet Walt Whitman first published the poetry anthology ''Leaves of Grass'' in 1855. He continued to expand, revise, and rewrite poems in the collection until his death in 1892. The Academy of American Poets deemed the collection "possibly the greatest book of American poetry ever written." According to the poet J. D. McClatchy, "No one has been able to adequately describe how Walter Whitman came to write his book." Writing and publication Whitman drafted "The Sleepers" in his notebook. The poem is one of the first five written works in ''Leaves of Grass;'' others included "Song of Myself", " I Sing the Body Electric". It was one of twelve poems in the first edition of ''Leaves of Grass''. Whitman revised the poem heavily; by the last edition of ''Leaves o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Walt Whitman
Walter Whitman (; May 31, 1819 – March 26, 1892) was an American poet, essayist and journalist. A humanist, he was a part of the transition between transcendentalism and realism, incorporating both views in his works. Whitman is among the most influential poets in the American canon, often called the father of free verse. His work was controversial in his time, particularly his 1855 poetry collection ''Leaves of Grass'', which was described as obscene for its overt sensuality. Born in Huntington on Long Island, Whitman resided in Brooklyn as a child and through much of his career. At the age of 11, he left formal schooling to go to work. Later, Whitman worked as a journalist, a teacher, and a government clerk. Whitman's major poetry collection, ''Leaves of Grass'', was first published in 1855 with his own money and became well known. The work was an attempt at reaching out to the common person with an American epic. He continued expanding and revising it until his de ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
