1. An Introduction to the Major Characteristics of His Poetry

2. A “Revolutionary” and Scandalous Poet in 1800s New subjects for poetry: the body, the city, industrialization, race Addressed the complexities of personal and cultural life in America

3. Self and Other “For every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you.” “Each singing what belongs to him or her and to no one else” Body and Soul “And if the body were not the soul, what is the soul?” Nature: Small and Large “And you O my soul…in measureless oceans of space”

4. technological advances energy of urban lifestyle beauty of natural landscape diversity and equality the strength and vitality of the worker

5. Speaker I addresses You directly Anaphora parallelism repetition of words or phrases at start of lines Catalogue long lists of items (nouns, verbs) song- or chant-like (biblical, Native American)

6. Free Verse first major poet to use it no fixed pattern of meter or rhyme line length varies line breaks highlight meaning or create visual effect Choral repetition and refrain made to be spoken or even sung

7. Colloquial did not use elevated language informal, everyday language of the streets Invented Words/Spelling “barbaric yawp”