I am the poet of the body,
And I am the poet of the soul. Published in 1855 at Walt Whitman's own expense,
this monumental work showcases the uniquely American form of mysticism known as
Transcendentalism. An idealistic philosophical and social movement,
Transcendentalism maintained that divinity emanates from all of nature and
humanity. Whitman's explosively innovative free verse style confounded many of
his contemporaries, who were further shocked by his celebrations of the body and
sexual love.
This volume presents Whitman's original 12 poems, considered to be some of the
greatest in the American canon, which continue to challenge conventional notions
of beauty and originality.