1. Steve Zocher Justin Waters Do I contradict myself? Very well, then I contradict myself, I am large, I contain multitudes.

2.  Born May 31, 1819 in Long Island.  Second of nine children.  Served as publisher, editor, pressman, and distributor of The Long Islander.  In 1848 joined the Free Soil party in New York  Suffered a stroke in 1873.  Died March 26, 1892.

3.  Fervently anti-slavery and held spiritual beliefs that coincided with ideas of deism  Most significant collection of poetry was entitled Leaves of Grass in 1855  Decided in 1850 to write poetry after his first novel wasn’t a success.

4.  Assumed to be homosexual or bisexual.  Possible lovers include Peter Doyle and Bill Duckett.  Whitman often depicted sexuality in his poetry.

5.  Father of free verse.  Used unusual symbols in his poetry, such as rotting leaves and debris.  Most common themes included death and sexuality.

6.  A GLIMPSE, through an interstice caught, Of a crowd of workmen and drivers in a bar-room, around the stove, late of a winter night--And I unremark'd seated in a corner; Of a youth who loves me, and whom I love, silently approaching, and seating himself near, that he may hold me by the hand; A long while, amid the noises of coming and going--of drinking and oath and smutty jest, There we two, content, happy in being together, speaking little, perhaps not a word.

7.  Passing stranger! you do not know How longingly I look upon you, You must be he I was seeking, Or she I was seeking (It comes to me as a dream)  I have somewhere surely Lived a life of joy with you, All is recall'd as we flit by each other, Fluid, affectionate, chaste, matured,  You grew up with me, Were a boy with me or a girl with me, I ate with you and slept with you, your body has become not yours only nor left my body mine only,  You give me the pleasure of your eyes, face, flesh as we pass, You take of my beard, breast, hands, in return,  I am not to speak to you, I am to think of you when I sit alone or wake at night, alone I am to wait, I do not doubt I am to meet you again I am to see to it that I do not lose you.

8.  O Captain! my Captain! our fearful trip is done,  The ship has weather’d every rack, the prize we sought is won,  The port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting,  While follow eyes the steady keel, the vessel grim and daring;  But O heart! heart! heart!  O the bleeding drops of red,  Where on the deck my Captain lies,  Fallen cold and dead.  O Captain! my Captain! rise up and hear the bells;  Rise up—for you the flag is flung—for you the bugle trills,  For you bouquets and ribbon’d wreaths—for you the shores a-crowding,  For you they call, the swaying mass, their eager faces turning;  Here Captain! dear father!  The arm beneath your head!  It is some dream that on the deck,  You’ve fallen cold and dead.  My Captain does not answer, his lips are pale and still,  My father does not feel my arm, he has no pulse nor will,  The ship is anchor’d safe and sound, its voyage closed and done,  From fearful trip the victor ship comes in with object won;  Exult O shores, and ring O bells!  But I with mournful tread,  Walk the deck my Captain lies,  Fallen cold and dead.

9.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyUTDJ72q 9k http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyUTDJ72q 9k  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdXhWS7lL vs http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdXhWS7lL vs

10. Whitman, Walt. "Walt Whitman Poems." N.p., 1 Mar. 2003. Web. 21 May 2013.