“The proof of the poet is that his country absorbs him as affectionately as he absorbed it.” Walt Whitman, Preface, Leaves of Grass, 1855

Whitman penned these words in the preface of his first edition of Leaves of Grass in anticipation of his work’s great success in the United States. The poet clearly saw the book’s success linked inextricably to positive public reception, and hoped that his country would love him as much as he loved his country. After the 1855 edition, however, the preface was omitted from Leaves of Grass, perhaps indicating Whitman’s realization that his country did not absorb him so affectionately.

Whitman has grown to be one of the great American poets in the years since his death, and his image is ubiquitous. From matchbooks and pipes to subway cards and stamps, from television shows and music to schools and hotels, Americans have placed the body of the poet in every medium of popular culture. Whitman, who so loved to promote his image, would be pleased to see that his country has absorbed him in this way.

This interactive project features a variety of Walt Whitman ephemera. Click on each object to see names, creators, and dates as well as close-up images.