News at Eleven (Back Page): Walt Whitman, who was born

on May 31, 1819, is known in poetry circles as the father of free verse--verse without a singular meter or rhyme. Whitman's most famous work, "Leaves of Grass," was published in 1855 at his own expense. He revised "Leaves of Grass" continuously until his death in 1892. During his lifetime Whitman was the subject of much controversy, as many critics found his poetry pretentious and obscene. Today, Whitman stands as one of America's most influential poets. Here are 10 quotes from his body of work.

from The Christian Science Monitor: Walt Whitman: 10 quotes on his birthday
then Slate: On His Birthday, a Short and Sweet Walt Whitman Poem About Being 71

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