1819–1892

The avatar of the great free spirit of America, Walt Whitman was a uniquely self–celebrating individual who deeply loved the thriving seaport that was New York in the 19th century. He lived and worked in Brooklyn, and much of his poetry celebrates either the pastoral splendor and history of Brooklyn, or the rushing vitality of Manhattan. His most famous work is the book of free–verse poems Leaves of Grass (1855), which disturbed many at the time for its novel techniques, its narcissism, and its implicit homoeroticism; it has since been recognized as one of America’s greatest poetic works.

I too lived, Brooklyn of ample hills was mine,
I too walk’d the streets of Manhattan island,
and bathed in the waters around it,
I too felt the curious abrupt questionings stir within me…
–Walt Whitman, from Crossing Brooklyn Ferry

The beautiful city, the city of hurried and sparkling
waters! The city of spires and masts!
The city nested in bays! My city!
The city of such women, I as mad with them!
I will return after death to be with them!
The city of such young men, I swear I cannot live happy without I often go talk, walk eat, drink, sleep with them!
–Walt Whitman, from Leaves of Grass