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Voyages: Poems by Walt Whitman
A collection of fifty-three poems and selections from poems focusing on the people and places encountered by the nineteenth-century American writer from his mid-thirties through his early seventies
96 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1988
About the author
Walt Whitman
1,723 books5,584 followersWalter Whitman Jr. was an American poet, essayist, and journalist. He is considered one of the most influential poets in American literature. Whitman incorporated both transcendentalism and realism in his writings and is often called the father of free verse. His work was controversial in his time, particularly his 1855 poetry collection Leaves of Grass, which was described by some as obscene for its overt sensuality.
Whitman was born in Huntington on Long Island, and lived in Brooklyn as a child and through much of his career. At the age of 11, he left formal schooling to go to work. He worked as a journalist, a teacher, and a government clerk. Whitman's major poetry collection, Leaves of Grass, first published in 1855, was financed with his own money and became well known. The work was an attempt to reach out to the common person with an American epic. Whitman continued expanding and revising Leaves of Grass until his death in 1892.
During the American Civil War, he went to Washington, D.C., and worked in hospitals caring for the wounded. His poetry often focused on both loss and healing. On the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, whom Whitman greatly admired, he authored two poems, "O Captain! My Captain!" and "When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom'd", and gave a series of lectures on Lincoln. After suffering a stroke towards the end of his life, Whitman moved to Camden, New Jersey, where his health further declined. When he died at the age of 72, his funeral was a public event.
Whitman's influence on poetry remains strong. Art historian Mary Berenson wrote, "You cannot really understand America without Walt Whitman, without Leaves of Grass... He has expressed that civilization, 'up to date,' as he would say, and no student of the philosophy of history can do without him." Modernist poet Ezra Pound called Whitman "America's poet... He is America."
Whitman was born in Huntington on Long Island, and lived in Brooklyn as a child and through much of his career. At the age of 11, he left formal schooling to go to work. He worked as a journalist, a teacher, and a government clerk. Whitman's major poetry collection, Leaves of Grass, first published in 1855, was financed with his own money and became well known. The work was an attempt to reach out to the common person with an American epic. Whitman continued expanding and revising Leaves of Grass until his death in 1892.
During the American Civil War, he went to Washington, D.C., and worked in hospitals caring for the wounded. His poetry often focused on both loss and healing. On the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, whom Whitman greatly admired, he authored two poems, "O Captain! My Captain!" and "When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom'd", and gave a series of lectures on Lincoln. After suffering a stroke towards the end of his life, Whitman moved to Camden, New Jersey, where his health further declined. When he died at the age of 72, his funeral was a public event.
Whitman's influence on poetry remains strong. Art historian Mary Berenson wrote, "You cannot really understand America without Walt Whitman, without Leaves of Grass... He has expressed that civilization, 'up to date,' as he would say, and no student of the philosophy of history can do without him." Modernist poet Ezra Pound called Whitman "America's poet... He is America."
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
April 30, 2019
"For every atom belonging to me as good belong to you." I found this book at a rummage sale a while back, and I don't think I could have found a better treasure. Besides the casual mention of Whitman in The Notebook, I have never actually made an effort to read any of Whitman's poems until I found this book. I could read this book over and over again and still give it five stars! I love the balance of industry and gentle self-awareness in Whitman's work. For example, in the famous poem I Hear America Singing, I picture American industry, but the rhythm is more fluid and less rigid-sounding. I also enjoyed the introduction that gave a valuable but brief biography of Walt Whitman. If you enjoy poetry and are curious about American poetry, I highly recommend reading Voyages, especially if you enjoyed Whitman's other work.
January 11, 2017
These were some really nice poems. I thoroughly enjoyed them. They jumbled around nicely in my mouth. I would recommend these. There are also some nice illustrations in here that are worth checking out.
May 20, 2012
Lee Bennett Hopkins's treatment of Walt Whitman in this collection (Hopkins also has a title dedicated to Carl Sandburg)would be a wonderful extension to any materials offered by a textbook in regard to Walt Whitman.
Hopkins explores each interval in Whitman's journey from the first slim volume of poems and Emerson's celebration to the "death-bed edition" of Leaves of Grass that serves to chronicle the voice of this poet who epitomized his own definition of a mark of "good poet."
For his treatment of the Civil War and his servitude within the same, I'd like to see more of Whitman covered in American History courses. A book like Hopkins's would work well in this capacity as the poems are carefully selected to highlight those offered by textbooks. What a textbook cannot offer, however, is the striking artwork found in this work.
Putting this book side-by-side with the textbook adopted for juniors at my school, I found the textbook to be lacking in the kind of information I would like for my students to take away regarding the great grey bard.
Remarkably, I found my copy of this book used on Amazon. I bought it for a penny plus shipping and handling. What came in the mail is a beautiful, shrink-wrapped book from one of New York City's public libraries.
I appreciate this.
I think Walt would too.
Hopkins explores each interval in Whitman's journey from the first slim volume of poems and Emerson's celebration to the "death-bed edition" of Leaves of Grass that serves to chronicle the voice of this poet who epitomized his own definition of a mark of "good poet."
For his treatment of the Civil War and his servitude within the same, I'd like to see more of Whitman covered in American History courses. A book like Hopkins's would work well in this capacity as the poems are carefully selected to highlight those offered by textbooks. What a textbook cannot offer, however, is the striking artwork found in this work.
Putting this book side-by-side with the textbook adopted for juniors at my school, I found the textbook to be lacking in the kind of information I would like for my students to take away regarding the great grey bard.
Remarkably, I found my copy of this book used on Amazon. I bought it for a penny plus shipping and handling. What came in the mail is a beautiful, shrink-wrapped book from one of New York City's public libraries.
I appreciate this.
I think Walt would too.
July 31, 2023
Hm. One reviewer met Whitman through this and gave it five stars. Good for her! But imo, I don't feel that it is much of an introduction for the newbies. And those who already love the Good Gray Poet aren't likely to get much more out of it. Also, the art isn't Mikolaycak's most interesting, imo, and there wasn't much of it.
Otoh, I, moderately familiar with some of his work, am grateful for the inclusion of the autobiographical, reflective verses from his last years. I'd not seen those before, to my memory, and I like them.
If you want a sample of his work, and this is what your library has, check it out. But you'd possibly be better off with Poetry for Young People: Walt Whitman, or some other book with more guidance.
Otoh, I, moderately familiar with some of his work, am grateful for the inclusion of the autobiographical, reflective verses from his last years. I'd not seen those before, to my memory, and I like them.
If you want a sample of his work, and this is what your library has, check it out. But you'd possibly be better off with Poetry for Young People: Walt Whitman, or some other book with more guidance.
March 16, 2016
I don't want to blaspheme "one of the greatest poets of all time" - but having just spent quite a bit of time with Mary Oliver and Maya Angelou, his feels a bit like old man poetry.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews