But with the 1855 release of Leaves of Grass, the New York–born poet cemented his own unique writing style: using first person and rejecting rigid meter.
Before his poetry earned him acclaim, Whitman worked as a journalist and was known for taking radical stances on issues like women’s property rights, immigration, and labor practices. But with the 1855 release of Leaves of Grass, the New York–born poet cemented his own unique writing style: using first person and rejecting rigid meter.