Walt C Whitman

Considered as one of America's most influential poets, Walt Whitman aims to transcend traditional epics and refine the form of ordinary beauty to reflect the freedom that can be achieved in America. In 1855, he published his own collection of Leave of Grass; the book is now a landmark in American literature, although at the time of its publication it was considered highly controversial. Whitman later worked as a volunteer nurse during the Civil War, writing a collection of Drum Taps (1865) on the experiences of soldiers who were being attacked. Continuing to produce new varieties of Leave of Grass and original works, Whitman died March 26, 1892, in Camden, New Jersey.