One of the great innovative figures in American letters, Walt Whitman created a daring new kind of poetry that became a major force in world literature. His poems have been woven into the very fabric of the American character and have continued to provide inspiration to people and poets for generations. Leaves of Grass is Whitman's masterpiece, written in a pure, uninhibited style and combining sensual and mystical sensibilities. Self-published in 1855, it was repeatedly expanded and revised by Whitman throughout the rest of his life. This recording follows the final edition which appeared in 1892, the year of Whitman's death.