Song of Myself

poem by Whitman

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Article History

Song of Myself, poem of 52 sections and some 1,300 lines by Walt Whitman, first published untitled in the collection Leaves of Grass in 1855. The expansive exuberant poem was given its current title in 1881. Considered Whitman’s most important work, and certainly his best-known, the poem revolutionized American verse. It departed from traditional rhyme, metre, and form and introduced frank sexual imagery. Among its characteristic elements are repetition, exclamation, and an incantatory voice. Many sections, compelling in their unrelenting rhythm, are catalogs of individuals, locations, and actions that move the poet.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Kathleen Kuiper.