To The Garden The World
July 6, 2023To Oratists
July 6, 2023To The East And To The West
TO the East and to the West;
To the man of the Seaside State, and of Pennsylvania,
To the Kanadian of the North–to the Southerner I love;
These, with perfect trust, to depict you as myself–the germs are in
all men;
I believe the main purport of These States is to found a superb
friendship, exalté, previously unknown,
Because I perceive it waits, and has been always waiting, latent in
all men.
Walt Whitman
Walt Whitman (1819-1892) was an American poet, essayist, and journalist, often referred to as the "father of free verse". His best-known work, "Leaves of Grass," is a celebration of American democracy, individualism, and the common people. Whitman's poetry also explored themes of sexuality and the body. He is considered one of the most influential poets in American literature.