Walt Whitman
Poet and humanist (1819 - 1892) United States
Walt was the second of nine children and, as the family's economy was precarious, he had to start working at the age of 11. His free spirit already shone through in his teens, as by the age of 15 he was writing free-rhyming verses with complex ideas. At the age of 30 he wrote “Leaves of Grass”, his masterpiece which he continued to revise and modify until his death. It was a break with traditional poetry, both in terms of content and style. Walt experimented with the possibilities of free verse, using simple language close to prose, while creating a new mythology for the country. His work was very controversial in its time and was described as obscene for its open sexuality. A sexuality that still generates controversy today, as it could have been the victim of homophobic censorship. Whitman became a respected literary avant-garde artist who received visits from young artists from all over the world. His work always affirmed the importance and uniqueness of all human beings. "Don't stop believing that words and poetry can change the world."
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