Although defined differently by many, poetry can be viewed as a form of "literature that evokes a concentrated imaginative awareness of experience or a specific emotional response through language chosen and arranged for its meaning, sound, and rhythm." (Britannica poetry) Poetry is a vast subject that dates back to thousands of years. In writing poetry, authors often incorporate or manipulate syntax, sound scheme, meter, and more to invoke certain aesthetics and meaning. One poet who became world renowned was Walt Whitman. Whitman broke the boundaries of poetic form and took a very personal style in writing his poetry. One of such works that became eminent was his "Song to Myself", in which Whitman discusses a wide range of topics, all the while using many different stylistic devices. In an effort to invoke certain meaning and sentiment, Walt Whitman employs devices such as free verse, repetition, and occasional reference to his beloved country in his work "Song to Myself.".
Epics poems often contain a certain style that is common among them, though Walt Whitman seems to go astray from this classical epic form. Walt Whitman's "Song to Myself" is a long, unique poem that jumps from point to point with no clear plotline. The poem itself is undoubtedly long, composed of fifty-two sections. In this sense, it can be said that the poem depicts a form of epic poetry. Epic poems are fairly long, they usually depict a hero, and often talk about or represent values of a certain culture. What this means is that they tend to praise or present a certain culture in which the hero of the poem protects or fights for. Whitman's epic however differs from traditional epics because of its free flowing nature. Epics can often be closed to the hero and his/her specific journey, but Whitman introduces a free nature that is open to all of life. In Homer's "The Odyssey", for example, Homer presents the hero Odysseus and his legendary adventure.
