Walt Whitman I Hear America Singing

Name: ______

Walt Whitman—Read the biography on page 530 and write five important facts about his life.

Walt Whitman--“I Hear America Singing”

 Written in 1st person  Written in free-verse  Use of catalogs—long lists of related things, people, or events

In this poem, Whitman celebrates work through the “varied carols” of men and women who take pride in their occupations.

1. List some of the jobs you would expect to be celebrated in a truly American epic written today?

2. What do all of the people in first eight lines of Whitman’s poem have in common? 3. What image does Whitman present in the last line of the poem?

4. What frequently repeated word is a metaphor for celebrating the joys of life?

5. Who does Whitman feel is truly building America?