He begins many lines of his poem with I, and he uses references to nature to symbolize his thoughts. ... Ralph Waldo Emerson, another American icon, said of Whitman's poetry, "I am not blind to the worth of the wonderful gift of the "leaves of Grass." ... Emerson later recanted his praise because he feared the backlash he might receive from the more prudent thinkers of the time, but at the time he wrote this to Whitman, he was obviously deeply touched by "Leaves of Grass." ... One could consider those who judge works of literature on our moral beliefs as narrow minded, but this writer bel...

• Word Count: 1108
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

Even though Whitman's poetry is not written in a conventional way as other poets such as Emerson or Longfellow, it does have a structure of its very own. ... Whitman wanted and chose to write his poems expressing his beliefs, and public opinion did not matter. ... Present in "Song of Myself" are several important themes: the idea of the self, democracy, and the self's relationship with the elements of nature and the universe. ... "Song of Myself" was written in several sections/parts and contains more than just the idea of the self, democracy, and the self's ...

• Word Count: 1606
• Approx Pages: 6
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School