Walt Whitman's passionate writing style and bold subject matter have deeply influenced American poetry. Nearly all of his poems were published inLeaves of Grass, which Whitman obsessively expanded, edited, and republished throughout his life, ultimately leaving behind a powerful literary legacy. Twenty of his most commonly read and studied poems are discussed in depth in this volume, which also features ideas for essay topics to assist students in developing critical-thinking skills.

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Excerpted from Bloom's How to Write about Walt Whitman by Frank D. Casale
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